The Midnighters the first million-selling hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips), and "Starting from Tonight" (written by Tucker). Ballard began writing for the group and became its lead singer. The group had some success and moved to another King Records subsidiary, Federal Records, for which they recorded "Get It", their first major R&B hit, which spent seven weeks in the Top 10 on the R&B chart and also sold well in mainstream markets. Around this time, the group's name was considered too similar to that of another group on the King roster, the "5" Royales, and the name was changed to
Pips Pride Racecall Gold Trophy, a handicap race run over six furlongs at Redcar Racecourse on 27 October was one of the most valuable juvenile races in Europe and attracted a field of twenty-four runners. Unlike a conventional handicap, the weights were determined by the prices fetched by the offspring of the runners sires at auction, giving an advantage to the progeny of cheap or unfashionable stallions. The race was run in exceptionally testing conditions on very heavy ground on a cold, wet day. Ridden by Dean McKeown and carrying 117 pounds Pips Pride was made the 6/1 second favourite. Racing up