Hoop Jr.
Hoop Jr. | |
---|---|
Sire | Sir Gallahad |
Grandsire | Teddy |
Dam | One Hour |
Damsire | Snob |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | March 15, 1942[1] |
Country | United States |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Robert A. Fairbairn |
Owner | Fred W. Hooper |
Trainer | Ivan H. Parke |
Record | 9: 4–4-0 |
Earnings | $99,290 |
Major wins | |
Wood Memorial Stakes (1945) Kentucky Derby (1945) | |
Last updated on November 3, 2008 |
Hoop Jr. (March 15, 1942 – November 19, 1964) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1945 Kentucky Derby.
Background
Hoop Jr. was a bay horse sired by the French-bred stallion Sir Gallahad, a full brother to Bull Dog, who sired Bull Lea. He was out of the American stakes winning mare One Hour,[2] a daughter of the French bred Snob, who had been purchased for the third highest amount ever paid for a horse imported into the United States for racing purposes.
Hoop Jr. was the first Thoroughbred horse Fred W. Hooper, an Alabama and Florida building contractor, ever bought. He paid $10,000 for the colt at the Keeneland Sales and named him after his youngest son, Fred Jr. Hooper was quoted many years later saying, "I liked the way he looked, the way he walked, everything, and I said, 'I'm going to own you.'"[3]
Racing career
At the age of two, Hoop Jr. started in five modest stakes events. He won twice and placed three times (the Bowie Kindergarten Stakes, the Pimlico Nursery Stakes, and the Aberdeen Stakes), then developed osselets, a condition that mostly afflicts young horses. Hooper had his "ankles fired" (heat applied), then turned him out at his Alabama Farm to save him for the following year's Kentucky Derby. Most considered this ambition overly optimistic.[4] But Hooper, who raced Susan's Girl, Precisionist, and Copelan, said, "He was the best racehorse I ever owned. He could run as far as races are laid out and as fast as anybody."
Trained by Ivan Parke, in his three-year-old debut, Hoop Jr. came in fourth, the only time in his career when more than one rival finished before him. He was beaten by the great filly Gallorette as well. In 1945, the Wood Memorial was run in two divisions. In the first, Gallorette came in second to Jeep. In the second division, Hoop Jr. won, running faster than both Gallorette and Jeep in their division.
In the 1945 Kentucky Derby, Eddie Arcaro rode Hoop Jr. over a muddy track against a field of 15. He took the lead going past the grandstand the first time and kept increasing it until he won by six lengths against Pot o' Luck and Darby Dieppe. Hooper had won the Kentucky Derby with his first race horse. He said, "I never thought I'd make it this quick."[4]
One week later, Hoop Jr. ran in the Preakness Stakes.[5] Running in third place (although for a time he was pinched in along the rail), he made his move only to suddenly give way. The race was won by Polynesian, and Hoop Jr. came in second with a bowed tendon.
Stud record
His racing career over, he entered stud in 1946. He died and was buried at Hooper Farm in Ocala, Florida, in 1964. Owner Fred W. Hooper died in August 2000, aged 102.[6]
Pedigree
Sire Sir Gallahad (FR) 1920 | Teddy (FR) 1913 | Ajax | Flying Fox |
---|---|---|---|
Amie | |||
Rondeau | Bay Ronald | ||
Doremi | |||
Plucky Liege (GB) 1912 | Spearmint | Carbine | |
Maid of the Mint | |||
Concertina | St. Simon | ||
Comic Song | |||
Dam One Hour (USA) 1925 | Snob (FR) 1919 | Prestige | Le Pompon |
Orgueilleuse | |||
May Dora | Isidor | ||
Mai | |||
Daylight Saving (USA) 1918 | Star Shoot | Isinglass | |
Astrology | |||
Tea Enough | Ogden | ||
Tea's Over (Family 9)[2] |
References
- ^ a b "Hoop, Jr. pedigree". Equineline.
- ^ a b "Vintner Mare - Family 9". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
- ^ New York Times
- ^ a b [The History of Thoroughbred Horse Racing in America]
- ^ http://www.thetriplecrownproject.info/career.php?year=1945
- ^ Durso, Joseph (August 5, 2000). "Fred W. Hooper, 102, a Leading Owner and Breeder in Thoroughbred Racing, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
External links
- Hoop Jr. pedigree, photo and stats
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- 1876 Vagrant
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- 1878 Day Star
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- 1880 Fonso
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- 1913 Donerail
- 1914 Old Rosebud
- 1915 Regret ♥
- 1916 George Smith
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- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Paul Jones
- 1921 Behave Yourself
- 1922 Morvich
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Black Gold
- 1925 Flying Ebony
- 1926 Bubbling Over
- 1927 Whiskery
- 1928 Reigh Count
- 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Brokers Tip
- 1934 Cavalcade
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Lawrin
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Gallahadion
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Hoop Jr.
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Jet Pilot
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Ponder
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Count Turf
- 1952 Hill Gail
- 1953 Dark Star
- 1954 Determine
- 1955 Swaps
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Iron Liege
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Tomy Lee
- 1960 Venetian Way
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Decidedly
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Lucky Debonair
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Proud Clarion
- 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Dust Commander
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Cannonade
- 1975 Foolish Pleasure
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Gato Del Sol
- 1983 Sunny's Halo
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Spend a Buck
- 1986 Ferdinand
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Winning Colors ♥
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Unbridled
- 1991 Strike the Gold
- 1992 Lil E. Tee
- 1993 Sea Hero
- 1994 Go for Gin
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Grindstone
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
- 2001 Monarchos
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Giacomo
- 2006 Barbaro
- 2007 Street Sense
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Mine That Bird
- 2010 Super Saver
- 2011 Animal Kingdom
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Orb
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Nyquist
- 2017 Always Dreaming
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
- 2020 Authentic
- 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
- 2022 Rich Strike
- 2023 Mage
- 2024 Mystik Dan
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly