Email from Buff Bradley

[Kasept]

Sent a note to Buff Bradley, who has been generous with his time to ATRAB, expressing support and best wishes for Brass Hat... His response was very encouraging and makes it sound like he and his dad will try to rehab the game and honest gelding once again...

Thanks so much to all of you. We have had a great run with this horse that put us on the map so we are grateful for that. He owes us nothing but if any horse can come back it will be him. Again thanks for your support always.. Buff

I have to say I'm sickened by the turn of events that has befallen the Bradleys with regards to Brass Hat and the ill-fated trip to Dubai. If Hat can't return, to have his career and the memories it generates be sullied by the despicable conduct of the Emirates racing authorities is tragic.

I've followed Brass Hat since his Rushaway win, and have been thrilled to get to know the truly likeable Bradley through the radio show. This is a racehorse that should have the love and respect of fans everywhere and should have been able to retire with a great legacy of overachievement against multiple odds.

Instead, a group of dishonest and disengenious cheats that masquerade as great champions of the sport have taken away what should have been a glorious and career-defining accomplishment that will always haunt the Bradleys. Not only was a lucrative prize taken from them, now they likely don't even have their horse. It's disgusting, and there should be a much louder outcry from those that are allegedly charged with guarding the integrity of the game.

[Bigsmc]

Well said Steve.

Why hasn't anybody or any group from North America racing come to their defense? It's like everyone is afraid to stand up to the mighty Dubai racing officials.

I have followed this story and am appalled at the lack of support for Mr. Bradley on the homefront (ATRAB excluded of course). Mr. Bradley was left flapping in the wind having to fight a fight on the "enemies" ground.

Hopefully horsemen will think twice about sending their horses over there in the future. The money is great, but who's to say you're not going to end up like Brass Hat, no purse and knocked out possibly for good.

Its infuriating that they cold pull that on Bradley.
They should have just kept the money. I mean what would the recourse have been by Dubai?
They could have said you can't come here anymore(Like they ever would again anyway), and there isn't a "world court" to settle such disputes. They shoulda just said FU we are keeping it.

[ddthetide]

i have the same question. where is any group in the US to to question the ruling??
the ruling can't be about the money? the authorities in dubai use $20 bills to wipe the sweat from thier foreheads. is this because the money came back to the US??
i hope ALL owners and trainers start to rethink that long trip.

[jpops757]

Great money! They are just kiting the $$$ moving from one arabs account to another. Keeping it over there. A bunch over here praise the oil money that is infused into the TB industry but it looks as if they are buying the US and soon we will all be at there mercy. BEWARE!!!!

[Rupert Pupkin]

I don't know if I necessarily agree with you guys on this one. I think it's a tough call either way. Normally in a case like this, I would say that the horse deserves to be disqualified. The only reason that this case appears to be different is because the Bradleys appeared to have followed the guidelines that were given to them by Dubai.
It's a tough call. On the one hand, the rules over there are very clear about what can appear in a blood test. Brass Hat failed the blood test which makes it a slam dunk to disqualify him. On the other hand, the Bradleys were told that as long as the medication was given 4 weeks in advance that they sould be alright. The Bradleys say that they gave the medication 4 weeks in advance. I don't know what the proper ruling should be. I think it's a tough call. However, I don't think it's fair to blast Dubai on this. Horses from the U.S. go over there every year and have done very well. It's not as if Dubai has a history of ripping us off. They have always treated U.S. horses very well. This is an unfortunate situation but I'm not sure what the answer is.

What can anyone in America do to help the Bradley's case in Dubai? It is their racing format and rules. I think the decision to disqualify Brass Hat is correct since the horse failed the test. However, the techicality of the rules the Bradley's received is absurd.