Breeder Hooper Dies at 102

Fred W. Hooper, whose red and blue silks were a racing staple for more than half a century, died in his sleep Friday in Bal Harbour, Fla. He was 102.

Active as an owner, breeder and trainer, Hooper purchased his first horses nearly 70 years ago, and a yearling he bought in 1943 in Lexington, Ky., turned out to be his first starter--and only winner--in the Kentucky Derby.

Hoop Jr., who was named after Hooper’s son, won the Derby in 1945, the only year the first leg of the Triple Crown was run in June, because of World War II restrictions on racing earlier in the year.

Ironically, Hooper, who called the Derby win his most exciting moment in racing, had been depressed in recent days after the death of his son, his wife, Wanda, told an Ocala newspaper. Fred Hooper Jr., 65, died July 23 at his Montgomery, Ala., home after a long illness.

Credited with helping develop Florida’s breeding industry, Hooper was in South Florida to see the start of the Florida Stallion series, which begins today at Calder Race Course in Miami.

Besides winning Eclipse awards as the nation’s top owner in 1975 and 1982, he also won an Eclipse Award of Merit in 1991 and was a founding member of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Assn.

Besides Hoop Jr., Hooper also campaigned several noteworthy runners, including Precisionist, the Eclipse award-winning sprinter of 1985 who also became the fifth horse to sweep Santa Anita’s Strub series earlier that year, winning the Malibu, San Fernando and Strub.

His list of stars also included Susan’s Girl, the 3-year-old filly champion of 1972 as well as the top older filly or mare in 1973 and ‘75; Copelan, whose mother was Susan’s Girl; Crozier, who, along with Tri Jet and Copelan, was also a successful sire at Hooper Farm; Journey At Sea, who won the 1982 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park; 1974 Kentucky Oaks winner Quaze Quilt and Diplomatic Jet.

Hooper, born in Cleveland, Ga., on Oct. 6, 1897, also owned a construction company.

He brought jockeys Braulio Baeza, Jorge Velasquez and Laffit Pincay Jr. to the United States and all three went on to have Hall of Fame careers.

Pincay, of course, is still going strong and approaching 9,000 victories. After he passed Bill Shoemaker in December to become the world’s winningest rider, Pincay was honored in a ceremony early in the Santa Anita meet. Hooper was among those in attendance and gave a brief speech.

“I owe the man a lot because he brought me to this country,” the Panamanian-born Pincay said before Friday’s races at Del Mar. “He was a very nice man who loved to come around in the mornings and joke around all the time.

“He loved horses and he always thought he had the best horses on the ground. He was always telling how good this one or that one was going to be. He was a nice guy to be around and I was shocked to hear that he had passed away.

“I was very impressed when he and his wife came to Santa Anita this winter. It was definitely very nice of them and meant something to me to have them there.”

In addition to his wife, Hooper is survived by three daughters, Helen Catherine, Robin and Betty. Funeral services are pending.