Brass Hat on Sidelines Until Fall with Ankle Injury

Ohio Derby (gr. III) winner Brass Hat will be on the sidelines until the fall following the discovery of an ankle injury believed to have been suffered during the June 12 race at Thistledown.

Trainer William "Buff" Bradley said that the son of Prized – a homebred owned by his father, retired Kentucky senator Fred Bradley -- appeared to have wrenched his right front ankle. The ankle got another close look last week at Lexington's Hagyard-Davidson-McGee and Bradley said it was decided then to give him plenty of time.

"They said that he may have just bruised it or wrenched it and they
said to give him about three more weeks off and I could start jogging him," said Bradley in a release from Churchill Downs. "We decided to go on and give him off until the middle of August anyhow and then get him ready for the fall."

Bradley said Brass Hat was "walking a little gingerly" on the ankle when he cooled out after the Ohio Derby win, but there was never any swelling or heat in the ankle that would point to a specific injury.

"At least we got through that race -- that was our main goal," said Bradley. "Of course we'll miss a couple that we would have liked to kept going with, but the veterinarian said give him some time off and we will."