by Liane Crossley
Fans of Grade I winner Brass Hat will have chance to see the 15-year-old gelding in action at the Thoroughbred Horse Show Association event at the Kentucky Horse Park on May 8. He will be ridden by 12-year-old Jett Bradley, daughter of Brass Hat's track trainer William “Buff” Bradley and grand daughter of his owner-breeder Fred Bradley.
The Bradley family owns and operates Indian Ridge Farm in Frankfort, Kentucky. The team recently added a retraining and rehoming division. Bradley is quick to note that funding for the project came from Groupie Doll, the two-time Eclipse Award winner raced by the Bradleys and partners. She earned more than $2-million on track before being sold as a broodmare for $3.1-million to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Bradley's longtime track assistant Maria Kabel oversees the reschooling division.
“When Brass Hat retired, we kept him at the track for a little bit,” Buff Bradley said. “He would go back and forth to the track (during morning training) but we could see he really wasn't into that. He didn't like it a whole lot, so we brought him back to the farm and rode him every now and then.”
Brass Hat closed his 40-race career in 2010 with 10 victories and earnings of $2,173,561.
During his time at the farm, Brass Hat excelled as a “babysitter” for newly weaned colts. Bradley said Brass Hat watched over his group while they napped and served as a calming mentor for the youngsters.
Brass Hat takes on a similar role as pasture mate for off-track Thoroughbreds when they arrive at the farm.
“He loves the babies,” Bradley said.
More information about the Thoroughbred Horse Show Association is available at http://www.tbhorseshow.com.
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