Standing at stud at the Big Red Farm in Hokkaido, he produced numerous important winners including Dream Journey, Orfevre, and Nakayama Festa.

[1] Gold Ship's dam, Point Flag, from whom he inherited his grey coat, was a daughter of the Hall of Fame inductee Mejiro McQueen.

On his only other start of the season, he finished second to Adam's Peak in the Group Three Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai Stakes over ten furlongs at Hanshin Racecourse on 24 December.

Ridden for the first time by Hiroyuki Uchida, he overtook the leader, Deep Brillante, inside the final furlong to record his first win by one and three quarter lengths.

Apparently relishing the extremely wet conditions,[5] he came from last place to take the lead in the straight and won by two and a half lengths from World Ace and Deep Brilante, with Grandezza and Adam's Peak unplaced.

[7] Gold Ship returned from the summer break in the Group Two Kobe Shimbun Hai, a trial race for the Kikuka Shō (Japanese St Leger), at Hanshin on 27 September.

A month later, he started odds-on favourite for the Kikuka Shō over fifteen furlongs at Kyoto Racecourse and won by one and three quarter lengths from Sky Dignity.

[8] As in the Satsuki Shō, the colt came from last place before he "cruised" to victory, although the competition was less strong than anticipated following the late withdrawal of Deep Brillante, who had sustained a tendon injury.

In the closing stages, he overtook the leaders and won by one and a half lengths from Ocean Blue, with Uchida standing up in the irons and saluting the crowd as he crossed the line.

On 23 June, Gold Ship met Fenomeno again in the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse where the field, which was decided by public ballot, also included Gentildonna.

He hit the front inside the final furlong and drew clear to win by three and a half lengths from the five-year-old Danon Ballade, with Gentildonna third and Fenomeno fourth.

Gold Ship began his fourth season by repeating his 2013 success in the Hanshin Daishoten: he started the 7/10 favourite and won by three and a half lengths from Admire Rakti.

Ridden by Norihiro Yokoyama, he started the 17/10 favourite in a field of twelve which included Gentildonna, Meisho Mambo, Tosen Jordan, Verxina, Denim And Ruby, and Win Variation.

[15] In the Arc de Triomphe on 5 October, Gold Ship started at odds of 12.9/1 in a three-horse Japanese challenge which also included Harp Star and Just A Way.

He made steady progress on the outside in the straight but was unable to reach the leaders and finished third, beaten three quarters of a length and a nose by Gentildonna and To The World.

On his first appearance of the new year, Gold Ship produced what the Racing Post described as a "dismal display"[16] when finishing unplaced in the American Jockey Club Cup at Nakayama on 25 January.

[19] Following his win in the 2012 Arima Kinen, the Racing Post rated Gold Ship the best three-year-old in the world, one pound ahead of Camelot, I'll Have Another, and Dullahan.

[29][30] In addition, a comedy manga spinoff featuring the character titled Uma Musume Pretty Derby PisuPisu☆SupiSupi Golshi-chan launched on CoroCoro Comic's website in November 2023.