# Fred W. Hooper Stakes

The Fred W. Hooper Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four years olds and older at the distance of one mile on the dirt held annually in January at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $150,000.

## History

It was inaugurated on 7 January 1986 as the Tropical Park Handicap and was run at Calder Race Course on turf at a distance of "about" 1+1⁄8 miles.
In 1987, it was switched to dirt and set at a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles. The race was run twice in 1988, the first time at a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles in March, the second time in December at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles. Creme Fraiche won both editions, the first in track record time. The race remained at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles until 2015 when it was shortened to one mile.
The event was upgraded to Grade III in 1992.
In 1997, the race was renamed in honor of the prominent Thoroughbred owner/breeder, Fred W. Hooper, who operated Circle H Farm, a horse breeding operation in Ocala, Florida. The race was not run in 2014, after which it was transferred to Gulfstream Park.
The event is run as part of the undercard for the Pegasus World Cup.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1 mile – 1:33.53 Tommy Macho (2016)
* 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:50.53 The Judge Sez Who
Most wins:
* 2 – Creme Fraiche (1988, 1988)
* 2 – Csaba (2012, 2013)
* 2 – Tommy Macho (2016, 2018)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 6 – Luis Saez (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 – Nick Zito (2004, 2005, 2006)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Brushwood Stable (1988, 1988)
* 2 – Robert V. LaPenta (2004, 2005)
* 2 – Bruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff (2012, 2013)
* 2 – Paul P. Pompa Jr. (2016, 2018)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Gulfstream Park – Fred W. Hooper Stakes |||||||||||
| 2025 | Little Vic | 6 | Leonel Reyes | Juan C. Avila | Victoria's Ranch | 1 mile | 1:36.52 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2024 | Tumbarumba | 4 | Luis Saez | Brian Lynch | Amerman Racing | 1 mile | 1:36.45 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2023 | Endorsed | 7 | Luis Saez | Michael J. Maker | Mark D. Breen | 1 mile | 1:35.67 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Speaker's Corner | 4 | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Godolphin Racing | 1 mile | 1:35.26 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Performer | 5 | Joel Rosario | Claude R. McGaughey III | Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm | 1 mile | 1:35.49 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Phat Man | 6 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | J. Kent Sweezey | Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing & Two Rivers Racing Stable | 1 mile | 1:35.95 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2019 | Aztec Sense | 6 | Emisael Jaramillo | Jorge Navarro | Joseph E. Besecker | 1 mile | 1:36.22 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Tommy Macho | 6 | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Paul P. Pompa Jr. | 1 mile | 1:36.10 | $175,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Bird Song | 4 | Julien R. Leparoux | Ian R. Wilkes | Marylou Whitney Stables | 1 mile | 1:36.07 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Tommy Macho | 4 | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Paul P. Pompa Jr. & J Stables | 1 mile | 1:33.53 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2015 | Valid | 5 | Paco Lopez | Marcus J. Vitali | Crossed Sabres Farm | 1 mile | 1:36.35 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| At Calder Race Track– Fred W. Hooper Handicap |||||||||||
| 2013 | Csaba | 4 | Luis Saez | Philip A. Gleaves | Bruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.93 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Csaba | 3 | Luis Saez | Philip A. Gleaves | Bruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.93 | $100,000 | III | Dead heat |
| 2012 | Ducduc | 6 | Orlando Bocachica | Shivananda Parbhoo | Shivananda Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.93 | $100,000 | III | Dead heat |
| 2011 | Jimanator | 5 | Joe Bravo | Michael J. Trombetta | Three Diamonds Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.56 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Tackleberry | 3 | Javier Santiago | Luis Olivares | Luis Olivares | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:54.42 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2009 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2008 | Finallymadeit | 4 | Eduardo O. Nunez | Javier Negrete | Rolbea Thoroughbred Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.75 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2007 | Electrify | 4 | Elvis Trujillo | Edward Plesa Jr. | Padua Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.56 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2006 | Hesanoldsalt | 3 | Rafael Bejarano | Nicholas P. Zito | Live Oak Plantation | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.87 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2005 | § Andromeda's Hero | 3 | Rafael Bejarano | Nicholas P. Zito | Robert V. LaPenta | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.46 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2004 | Pies Prospect | 3 | Edgar S. Prado | Nicholas P. Zito | Robert V. LaPenta | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.74 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2003 | Predawn Raid | 4 | Jorge F. Chavez | Bennie F. Stutts Jr. | Mount Joy Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.47 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2002 | The Judge Sez Who | 3 | Cornelio Velasquez | Milton W. Wolfson | Sez Who Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.53 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2001 | Kiss a Native | 4 | Cornelio Velasquez | William P. White | John A. Franks | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.05 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2000 | American Halo | 4 | Charleen Hunt | Angel M. Medina | Jose G. Paparoni | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.68 | $100,000 | III | |
| 1999 | Dancing Guy | 4 | Jose C. Ferrer | Newcomb Green | Frances Green | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.83 | $100,000 | III | |
| 1998 | Wicapi | 6 | Joe Bravo | Joseph G. Calascibetta | Acclaimed Racing Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.00 | $100,000 | III | |
| 1997 | Shrike | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Martin D. Wolfson | Peachtree Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.40 | $100,000 | III | |
| Tropical Park Handicap |||||||||||
| 1996 | Cimarron Secret | 5 | Jose A. Velez Jr. | James E. Hartley | Francis C. McDonnell | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.60 | $100,000 | III | |
| 1995 | Bound by Honor | 4 | Julie Krone | Carl A. Nafzger | Phillips Racing Partnership | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.80 | $100,000 | III | |
| 1994 | Halo's Image | 3 | Gary Boulanger | Happy Alter | A. I. Appleton & Alter's Racing Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.40 | $100,000 | III | December |
| 1994 | Take Me Out | 6 | Mike E. Smith | William I. Mott | Carl F. Pollard & Warner L. Jones Jr. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.80 | $100,000 | III | January |
| 1993 | Barkerville | 5 | Randy Romero | Frank L. Brothers | Darley Stud | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.40 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1992 | Classic Seven | 4 | Carlos E. Lopez Sr. | Thomas M. Cairns | John O. Berry | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.00 | $171,600 | III | |
| 1991 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1990 | Public Account | 5 | Heberto Castillo Jr. | George Gianos | S. Young Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.60 | $83,100 | | |
| 1989 | Primal | 4 | Jose A. Velez Jr. | James E. Bracken | Tartan Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.60 | $111,600 | | |
| 1988 | Creme Fraiche | 6 | Walter Guerra | Woodford C. Stephens | Brushwood Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.80 | $109,900 | | December |
| 1988 | Creme Fraiche | 6 | Angel Cordero Jr. | Woodford C. Stephens | Brushwood Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.80 | $219,600 | | March |
| Tropical Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup |||||||||||
| 1987 | Arctic Honeymoon | 4 | Craig Perret | Luis Olivares | Beverly Green | 1+3⁄16 miles | 1:59.60 | $143,000 | | |
| Tropical Park Handicap |||||||||||
| 1986 | Racing Star | 4 | Earlie Fires | Manuel A. Estevez | Five Star Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:45.20 | $50,510 | | December |
| 1986 | Uptown Swell | 4 | Walter Guerra | Richard J. Lundy | Virginia Kraft Payson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.20 | $56,350 | | January |
Legend:
 Turf  Dirt
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry