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Fred Bradley’s popular 10-year-old gelding Brass Hat will be honored during a retirement ceremony at Churchill Downs May 28.
Brass Hat, a Kentucky homebred by Prized, was officially retired May 24 by trainer William “Buff” Bradley, the owner’s son. The Bradley family indicated age had caught up with Brass Hat, who began his career in early 2004 in a $15,000 claimer at Turfway Park but went on to win multiple graded stakes and earn more than $2 million.
Churchill’s farewell to Brass Hat is scheduled after the fifth race, which is set for a post time of 2:55 p.m. EDT. Brass Hat will make the trip to the Churchill paddock with the horses that will run in the fifth race, and the veteran star will remain in the paddock while the race is run.
A ceremony honoring Brass Hat and his connections will be conducted in the winner’s circle following the race.
Buff Bradley said Brass Hat will now spend his days at the family farm near Frankfort, Ky.
“He still really has the want-to,” Bradley said. “If he was ready to run in the Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT May 28), he’d be in the starting gate. But he’s not ready, and I thought it would just take too much time to get him ready to compete this year.
“It will be an emotional day, but no more emotional than watching him any other day,” Bradley said. “It has been so special to watch and be around this horse, especially in later years when he won the Louisville Handicap here and won the Sycamore Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland last year at 9. All my barn crew is going to walk over to the paddock with him, so I’ll get to share the moment with them.”
