“Speed, class, stamina, and soundness will make you a multimillionaire in this business. Hoppertunity has them all,” said his Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. “He could dominate the breeding industry in that Mid-Atlantic region.”
Dual Grade 1 winner Hoppertunity enters Northview PA at Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania with career earnings of $4.71 million from 34 starts. In five seasons he recorded 22 top-three finishes while racing consistently at the highest level from coast-to-coast.
His nine stakes wins were all graded, included the historic Gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park and Churchill Downs Gr1 Clark Handicap, with wins in the Gr2 San Antonio Stakes twice at Santa Anita and the Belmont Gr2 Brooklyn Invitational Stakes.
Hoppertunity ran twice in Dubai, running third to California Chrome in the 2016 Gr1 Dubai World Cup. He recorded 15 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, only twice finishing worse than fourth, won up to 1½ miles and broke his maiden over one mile at Santa Anita.
As a 3yo Hoppertunity recorded his first stakes win in the Gr 2 Rebel Stakes, before finishing second to California Chrome in the Gr1 Santa Anita Derby at his next start. Forced out of the Kentucky Derby due to a foot issue he finished the season in winning the Gr1 Clark Handicap against older horses.
Opening his 4yo season in winning the Gr2 San Pasqual Stakes, Hoppertunity recorded six graded stakes placing including the Grade1 Stephen Foster Handicap, Santa Anita Gold Cup, Awesome Again Stakes and Clark Handicap. Also, he finished fourth to Beholder in the Gr1 Pacific Classic.
In winning $2.3 million as a 5yo, Hoppertunity was successful in the Gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup and Gr2 San Antonio Stakes, and was third to California Chrome in Gr1 Dubai World Cup. In addition. he was fourth California Chrome in Gr1 Pacific Classic, Arrogate in Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic and Gun Runner in the Gr1 Clark Handicap.
Again, in winning the Gr2 San Antonio Stakes the following season, Hoppertunity finished this his fifth season with victories in the Gr2 Brooklyn Invitational Stakes and Gr3 Tokyo City Cup.
“I went to Santa Anita to inspect him for purchase and I thought they had brought me the wrong one,” said Northview’s general manager David Wade. “How could a horse that’s run 34 times, 31 of them stakes races, have legs this clean and joints this tight.”
A son of Gr1 Hasksell Invitational winner Any Given Saturday, from the Forty Niner male line, Hoppertunity is out of the graded stakes-placed Unaccounted For mare Refugee. He is half-brother to duel Grade1 winner Executiveprivilege, with his third dam Davona Dale winning the Filly Triple Crown.
South of the border in Maryland, sees the arrival Belmont Stakes placed Gr2 Holy Bull Stakes winner Irish War Cry, who retires to the Northview Stallion Station, outside Chesapeake City.
“Irish War Cry is such a gorgeous and talented horse,” said trainer Graham Motion. “I have not had a horse since Animal Kingdom who has shown the kind of raw ability that he has.” Unlucky not to win a Grade 1, he came so close in the Belmont Stakes, but did win the Wood Memorial.”
Irish War Cry raced from 2 to 4 years by his breeder Isabelle de Tomas, winning four graded stakes races up to 1 3/16 miles and over $1.25 million in stakes.
Commencing his juvenile career with three straight victories including the Marylander Stakes, Irish War Cry opened his 3yo account in winning the Gr2 Holy Bull Stakes, earning the first of five triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures with a front-running performance.
The Holy Bull was Irish War Cry’s first two-turn attempt and ran the 1 1/16 mile in 1:42.52sec. Following his next victory in the Gr2 Wood Memorial Stakes Irish War Cry was one of the favourites for the Gr1 Kentucky Derby, only to finished unplaced.
Irish War Cry started favourite in the Gr1 Belmont Stakes and led for the majority of the 1½ mile classic, but battled on gamely to finish second to Tapwrit. This was followed by a fourth placing to West Coast in the Gr1 Haskell Invitational Stakes.
At 4 years Irish War Cry captured the Gr3 Pimlico Special, winning by 4½ length over 1 1/16 mile in 1:55.51sec. on a sloppy track. Previously he had run second in the Gr3 Hal’s Hope Stakes.
“Irish War Cry is by leading sire Curlin,” said John Sikura of Hill ’n’ Dale Farm, who stands Curlin, the duel US Horse of The Year. “With the strong track record of making stallions at Northview, we decided this was the ideal situation for Irish War Cry.”
“They pursued Irish War Cry aggressively and made a great pitch. His credentials as a top-class racehorse and great physical specimen make him a standout in the vibrant Maryland market.”
A half-brother to the graded stakes winner Irish Strait and stakes placed winner Irish Politics, Irish War Cry is one of six winning foals of the Polish Numbers winning mare Irish Sovereign.”
By Bernard Kenny