He was out of the American stakes winning mare One Hour,[2] a daughter of the French bred Snob, who had been purchased for the third highest amount ever paid for a horse imported into the United States for racing purposes.
He paid $10,000 for the colt at the Keeneland Sales and named him after his youngest son, Fred Jr. Hooper was quoted many years later saying, "I liked the way he looked, the way he walked, everything, and I said, 'I'm going to own you.
Hooper had his "ankles fired" (heat applied), then turned him out at his Alabama Farm to save him for the following year's Kentucky Derby.
Trained by Ivan Parke, in his three-year-old debut, Hoop Jr. came in fourth, the only time in his career when more than one rival finished before him.
He took the lead going past the grandstand the first time and kept increasing it until he won by six lengths against Pot o' Luck and Darby Dieppe.