Midnight Parade First Stakes Winner for Hoppertunity

Hillman Racing's Midnight Parade became the first stakes winner for stallion Hoppertunity when the 2-year-old filly captured the $200,000 Imply Stakes for state-bred runners at Parx Racing Sept. 24. Hoppertunity also sired runner-up Pachelbel in the 6 1/2-furlong race, which was restricted to Pennsylvania-bred and sired runners. Midnight Parade rated in fourth after a quarter-mile under David Cora, advanced into second by the half-mile mark, and took command down the lane. The Bernard Houghton-trained filly, now 2-for-2 after an initial seven-length score against maidens at Penn National, was timed in 1:19.41 on a fast track. She paid $12.60 to win Elizabeth Houghton bred the winner in Pennsylvania out of the Banker's Gold mare Bank'n On Gold, who previously produced a stakes-placed runner in Jw'strickymischief (Into Mischief). Pachelbel rallied from fifth to grab the runner-up spot, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of pacesetter and 3-5 favorite Flor de Sombra. Hoppertunity, a grade 1-winning earner of more than $4.7 million, has five winners in his first crop, including Game Seven, who scored on debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher at Parx Aug. 22. An 11-year-old son of Any Given Saturday, Hoppertunity stood the 2022 season at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland for a $5,000 fee. According to Northview Stallion Station, he is the richest stallion ever to enter stud in the Mid-Atlantic. Hoppertunity covered over 300 mares in his first three seasons at stud.