Fred W. Hooper
Encyclopedia
Fred William Hooper was an American Thoroughbred
racehorse
owner and breeder
. He was a member of The Jockey Club
, an honorary director of the Breeders' Cup
, and one of the founders of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and one of its first presidents.
Born in Cleveland, Georgia
, Hooper quit school in the eighth grade and worked as a schoolteacher, a carpenter, a riveter, a prizefighter and a potato farmer. He would make his fortune in the heavy construction business. He bought 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha) near Montgomery, Alabama
and started breeding champion Hereford cattle and eventually horses. He later built the Circle H Farm, an 1100 acres (4.5 km²) horse breeding
operation in Ocala, Florida
.
Hooper won the 1945 Kentucky Derby with his first thoroughbred, Hoop Jr.
In his 50 years as a horse-breeder, Hooper bred or raced the winners of more than one hundred stakes races
. Among his other notable horse were U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductees Precisionist
and Susan's Girl
.
In 1975 and again in 1982, Fred Hooper was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder
. In 1992, he was voted the Eclipse Award Of Merit
, the industry's highest honor. In 1995 he was inducted in the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame.
Fred Hooper was responsible for bringing top Latin America
n riders to the United States. Hall of Fame jockeys Laffit Pincay, Jr.
, Braulio Baeza
, and Jorge Velasquez
all got their start with him.
Hooper died at the age of 102 in Ocala, Florida
. The Fred W. Hooper Handicap
at Calder Race Course
is named in his honor.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
owner and breeder
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
. He was a member of The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
, an honorary director of the Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
, and one of the founders of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and one of its first presidents.
Born in Cleveland, Georgia
Cleveland, Georgia
Cleveland is a city in White County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,907 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of White County....
, Hooper quit school in the eighth grade and worked as a schoolteacher, a carpenter, a riveter, a prizefighter and a potato farmer. He would make his fortune in the heavy construction business. He bought 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha) near Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
and started breeding champion Hereford cattle and eventually horses. He later built the Circle H Farm, an 1100 acres (4.5 km²) horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
operation in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
.
Hooper won the 1945 Kentucky Derby with his first thoroughbred, Hoop Jr.
Hoop Jr.
Hoop Jr. , was an American Thoroughbred racehorse sired by the European stakes winning stallion Sir Gallahad...
In his 50 years as a horse-breeder, Hooper bred or raced the winners of more than one hundred stakes races
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
. Among his other notable horse were U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductees Precisionist
Precisionist
Precisionist was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. In 1985, Precisionist won the Strub Series at Santa Anita Park becoming only the fifth horse to win the Malibu Stakes, the San Fernando Stakes and the Charles H. Strub Stakes...
and Susan's Girl
Susan's Girl
Susan’s Girl was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred and owned by Fred W. Hooper. Hooper was born poor on a southern farm and eventually became rich enough to buy, breed, and run some of the best Thoroughbred horses of his day. His first purchase was Hoop Jr., named after his son, and winner...
.
In 1975 and again in 1982, Fred Hooper was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor for breeders. Created in 1971, it is part of the Eclipse Awards program and is awarded annually.Its Canadian counterpart is the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Breeder....
. In 1992, he was voted the Eclipse Award Of Merit
Eclipse Award of Merit
The Eclipse Award of Merit is part of the American Eclipse Awards in Thoroughbred horse racing. The industry's highest honor, it is presented to an individual or entity displaying outstanding lifetime achievement in, and service to, the Thoroughbred industry....
, the industry's highest honor. In 1995 he was inducted in the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame.
Fred Hooper was responsible for bringing top Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n riders to the United States. Hall of Fame jockeys Laffit Pincay, Jr.
Laffit Pincay, Jr.
Laffit Alejandro Pincay, Jr. is a flat racing's all-time winningest jockey. He competed primarily in the United States.-Career:...
, Braulio Baeza
Braulio Baeza
Braulio Baeza is an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He began racing in 1955 and in 1960, at the urging of agent Camilo Marin, moved to compete in the United States where at the Keeneland Race Course he won the very first he competed in.Braulio Baeza's success in America was...
, and Jorge Velasquez
Jorge Velasquez
Jorge Velásquez is a thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey.Jorge Velasquez career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States...
all got their start with him.
Hooper died at the age of 102 in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
. The Fred W. Hooper Handicap
Fred W. Hooper Handicap
The Fred W. Hooper Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida. A Grade III event, it is open to horses age three and older and is contested on dirt at a distance of 1 1/8 miles...
at Calder Race Course
Calder Race Course
Calder Casino & Race Course is a casino and horse racetrack in Miami Gardens, Florida in the United States.-History:In the mid-1960s, real estate developer Stephen A. Calder envisioned summertime racing in Florida; in 1965, on the advice of Mr. Calder, the Florida Legislature approved a bill...
is named in his honor.