Fred F. Bradley's homebred nine-year-old BRASS HAT (Prized) turned
back the clock with a last-to-first victory in Thursday's $100,000 Sycamore S. (G3) at Keeneland, snapping an eight-race losing streak
and winning for just the second time in more than three years. The
oldest horse left in the turf marathon once the 10-year-old Cloudy's
Knight (Lord Avie) was retired because of injury, Brass Hat was briefly
blocked behind rivals in midstretch, but once Calvin Borel switched him
to the outside, the race was over. The veteran rolled past the dueling
pair of Southern Anthem (Royal Anthem) and Musketier (Ger) (Acatenango),
won going away by a length, and completed 1 1/2 firm-turf miles in 2:30
3/5.
Brass Hat, whose last victory came in the Louisville H. (G3) in May
2009, had often run well in defeat since then. Runner-up to Musketier in
the Elkhorn S. (G2) at this course and distance during the spring meet,
he was coming off a rallying second in the Cliff Guilliams H. at Ellis
Park on Labor Day. Brass Hat was accordingly dispatched as the 9-2 third
choice in the Sycamore's 12-horse field and returned $11.60, $6.20 and
$3.60.
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