Tackleberry got his second stakes win of the year, and first in graded company, in the $100,000 Fred Hooper H. (G3) at Calder on Dec. 11. Tackleberry is by Montbrook, who is Florida's leading sire of the past two years, ranked second in 2010, and is the number one in terms of career stakes winners. Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Big Drama is the all-time leading earner for his sire, with $2,639,560 in his 16 career outings.

The nine furlong Hooper was Tackleberry's from the first jump, when the dark bay/brown went to the front to set a sensible pace of :48.60 for the half-mile with a half-length lead. He shook off one challenger at the head of the stretch, then dueled for the length of the stretch with Dream Maestro, who tried repeatedly to get the lead, but Tackleberry would not be denied and held on to win by a nose in a time of 1:54.42.

Ocala Stud bred 3-year-old Tackleberry from the Concerto mare Box of Joy. The mare is a half-sister to Outofthebox, winner of the Grade 1 Super Derby. With the victory in the Hooper, he is now 5-2-0 in eight starts, earning $207,225 for owner/trainer Luis Olivares.