Gulch retired from stud duty at age 25

Gulch, the champion sprinter of 1988 and longtime sire, has been retired by Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Ky., the farm announced Thursday.

The farm said that Gulch, 25, was retired because of declining fertility. A Mr. Prospector horse, Gulch bred 20 mares in 2009, according to Jockey Club statistics.

North America's second-leading sire in 1995, Gulch is the sire of Thunder Gulch, the champion 3-year-old of 1995 after winning the Kentucky Derby and Belmont and the leading sire of 2001. Gulch also sired English champion Nayef and English classic winner Harayir. He is the sire of 70 stakes-winners, including such Grade and Group 1 winners as Court Vision, The Cliff's Edge, Wallenda, Torrential, and others. He has progeny earnings of more than $80 million.

Gulch, a son of the Rambunctious mare Jameela, stood for $20,000 in 2009.