Grade 1 Winner Hoppertunity Retired to Northview PA

Multiple grade 1 winner Hoppertunity , one of the longest-running competitors at the graded stakes level in recent years, has been retired from racing and will stand at Northview PA in Peach Bottom, Pa., the farm announced Oct. 25.

Trainer Bob Baffert, who said Thursday morning the 7-year-old son of Any Given Saturday was not retired and still in training, confirmed Thursday afternoon the bay was indeed retired. The trainer said Hoppertunity was under consideration for the Nov. 2 Marathon Stakes (G2) on the Breeders' Cup undercard, but those plans were abandoned for the stud deal. News of Hoppertunity's retirement first swirled on social media Oct. 24.

Northview general manager David Wade said the farm has been interested in Hoppertunity for some time, but negotiations began a week ago. Hoppertunity's stud fee will be $5,000 live foal, with shares and lifetime breeding rights being offered.

"I could go on and on about his racing statistics, but everyone can look them up," Wade said. "What most haven't seen yet is this horse. I went to Santa Anita to inspect him for purchase, and I thought they had brought me the wrong one. How could a horse that's run 34 times, 31 of them stakes races, have legs this clean and joints this tight? As a group, our breeders are very savvy and inspect our stallions diligently, so conformation is high up on our list when shopping for new stallions. This one certainly won't disappoint anyone."

Hoppertunity last raced in the Cougar II Handicap (G3) at Del Mar, where he finished second. He began racing in 2014 and has developed into a fan favorite for his consistency and longevity. He won eight graded stakes, including the 2014 Clark Handicap (G1) and 2016 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), and placed in 11 others. He cashed a check (finished in the top five) in the first 25 starts of his career.

ANGST: Hoppertunity Rallies in Jockey Club Gold Cup

From 34 starts, he had a 9-8-5 record and more than $4.7 million in earnings for owners Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman. At 7, he continued to perform in 2018, with wins in the Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3) and Brooklyn Invitational Stakes (G2), and fourth-place runs in the Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet (G2) and Suburban Stakes (G2), in addition to his Cougar II effort.

The only start of his career where he didn't finish in the top five came in the 2017 Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1), when he came in sixth.