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 carries a purse of $175,000.

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" miles.

In 1987, it was switched to dirt and set at a distance of miles. The race was run twice in 1988, the first time at a distance of miles in March, the second time in December at a distance of miles. Creme Fraiche won both editions, the first in track record time. The race remained at a distance of 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) miles – 1:50.53 The Judge Sez Who

Margin: lengths – Pies Prospect (2004)

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) 3 – William I. Mott (1994, 2022, 2026)

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) 2 – Godolphin Racing (2022, 2026)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Gulfstream Park – Fred W. Hooper Stakes2026 Knightsbridge 5 Junior Alvarado William I. Mott Godolphin Racing1 mile1:35.12$150,000III 2025 Little Vic 6 Leonel Reyes Juan C. Avila Victoria's Ranch1 mile1:36.52$150,000III 2024 Tumbarumba 4 Luis Saez Brian Lynch Amerman Racing 1 mile 1:36.45$150,000III 2023 Endorsed 7 Luis Saez Michael J. Maker Mark D. Breen1 mile 1:35.67$150,000III2022 Speaker's Corner 4 Junior Alvarado William I. Mott Godolphin Racing1 mile 1:35.26$150,000III2021Performer5Joel RosarioPhipps Stable and Claiborne Farm1 mile1:35.49$150,000III2020Phat Man6Irad Ortiz Jr.J. Kent SweezeyMarianne Stribling, Force Five Racing & Two Rivers Racing Stable 1 mile1:35.95$150,000III2019Aztec Sense6Emisael JaramilloJorge NavarroJoseph E. Besecker1 mile1:36.22$150,000III2018Tommy Macho6Luis SaezTodd A. PletcherPaul P. Pompa Jr.1 mile1:36.10$175,000III2017Bird Song4Julien R. LeparouxIan R. WilkesMarylou Whitney Stables 1 mile1:36.07$100,000III2016Tommy Macho4Luis SaezTodd A. PletcherPaul P. Pompa Jr. & J Stables1 mile1:33.53$100,000III2015Valid5Paco LopezMarcus J. VitaliCrossed Sabres Farm1 mile1:36.35$100,000III2014Race not heldAt Calder Race Track– Fred W. Hooper Handicap 2013Csaba4Luis SaezPhilip A. GleavesBruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff miles1:52.93$100,000III2012Csaba3Luis SaezPhilip A. GleavesBruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff miles1:52.93$100,000IIIDucduc6Orlando BocachicaShivananda ParbhooShivananda Racing2011Jimanator5Joe BravoMichael J. TrombettaThree Diamonds Farm miles1:53.56$100,000III2010Tackleberry3Javier SantiagoLuis OlivaresLuis Olivares miles1:54.42$100,000III2009Race not held2008Finallymadeit4Eduardo O. NunezJavier NegreteRolbea Thoroughbred Racing miles1:53.75$100,000III2007Electrify4Elvis TrujilloEdward Plesa Jr. Padua Stables miles1:52.56$100,000III2006Hesanoldsalt3Rafael BejaranoNicholas P. Zito Live Oak Plantation miles1:51.87$100,000III20053Rafael BejaranoNicholas P. Zito Robert V. LaPenta miles1:53.46$100,000III2004Pies Prospect3Edgar S. PradoNicholas P. Zito Robert V. LaPenta miles1:50.74$100,000III2003Predawn Raid4Jorge F. ChavezBennie F. Stutts Jr.Mount Joy Stables miles1:52.47$100,000III20023Milton W. WolfsonSez Who Racing miles1:50.53$100,000III2001Kiss a Native4Cornelio VelasquezWilliam P. WhiteJohn A. Franks miles1:51.05$100,000III2000American Halo4Charleen HuntAngel M. MedinaJose G. Paparoni miles1:51.68$100,000III1999Dancing Guy4Jose C. FerrerNewcomb GreenFrances Green miles1:50.83$100,000III1998Wicapi6Joe BravoAcclaimed Racing Stable miles1:52.00$100,000III1997Shrike4Jerry D. BaileyMartin D. WolfsonPeachtree Stable miles1:51.40$100,000IIITropical Park Handicap1996Cimarron Secret5Jose A. Velez Jr.James E. HartleyFrancis C. McDonnell miles1:52.60$100,000III1995Bound by Honor4Julie KroneCarl A. NafzgerPhillips Racing Partnership miles1:51.80$100,000III1994 Halo's Image3Gary BoulangerHappy AlterA. I. Appleton & Alter's Racing Stable miles1:51.40$100,000IIIDecemberTake Me Out6Mike E. SmithWilliam I. MottCarl F. Pollard & Warner L. Jones Jr. miles1:51.80$100,000IIIJanuary1993Barkerville5Randy RomeroFrank L. BrothersDarley Stud miles1:52.40$75,000III1992Classic Seven4Carlos E. Lopez Sr.Thomas M. CairnsJohn O. Berry miles1:53.00$171,600III1991Race not held1990Public Account5Heberto Castillo Jr.George GianosS. Young Stable miles1:52.60$83,100 1989Primal4Jose A. Velez Jr.James E. BrackenTartan Stable miles1:51.60$111,600 1988 Creme Fraiche6Walter GuerraWoodford C. Stephens Brushwood Stable miles1:51.80$109,900 DecemberCreme Fraiche6Angel Cordero Jr.Woodford C. Stephens Brushwood Stable miles2:05.80$219,600 MarchTropical Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup1987Arctic Honeymoon4Craig PerretLuis OlivaresBeverly Green miles1:59.60$143,000 Tropical Park Handicap1986 Racing Star 4Earlie FiresManuel A. EstevezFive Star Stable miles1:45.20$50,510 DecemberUptown Swell4Walter GuerraRichard J. LundyVirginia Kraft Payson miles1:53.20$56,350 January

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

External links 2021–22 Gulfstream Park Media Guide