Maybe it was a good thing that it was misting a bit at the historic Keeneland Race Course on Saturday. Maybe it was a good thing that the the water on the brash and talented colt, The Player, splashed a bit on the face of his trainer, co-breeder, biggest fan and best friend — William “Buff” Bradley.  Maybe it was a good thing that The Player — who has his own FaceBook page and is known to be a stable personality — shook a little water on the face of his favorite person on Earth.

Maybe that was just water under and in the trainer’s eyes. Maybe.

On Saturday, The Player was The Man when he stormed down the stretch to run away with the Grade 2 Hagyard Fayette Stakes at the historic racetrack in Lexington. After stalking the pace for much of the 11/8-mile test on the sloppy, sealed track, rider Calvin Borel shook the reins and the colt shook off the rains and galloped out to an impressive and striking 3-length victory over a stellar field.

On Saturday, Buff Bradley couldn’t be happier than a proud papa.  After all, he bred this colt with his father, the late Fred Bradley, and long-time family friend Carl Hurst.

“He is a special horse for our family,” wrote Buff in a text message to me this morning. “We just put his great grandmother (Regal Export) down the other day at age 26. The mare produced our very first stakes winner that we bred.”

Royal Export made 36 lifetime starts with 2 firsts, 5 seconds and 2 thirds. She earned a total of $41,885 at the racetrack.  But she did far more than just race for the Bradley family.  Her daughter, Town Queen, was bred by former State Senator Fred Bradley, Hurst and Buff and she went on to carve out 6 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds in just 26 starts and earn over $241,000. She also won the My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park on Dec. 31, 2002.

It was Town Queen who produced Hour Queen, a daughter of Gilded Time, for the Bradley family.  And, she, too, was a multiple winner. But it was Hour Queen who produced The Player, who is by Street Hero. In short, it has been a true family affair.

The Player started his race career as a 2YO in 2015, with a 4th in a MSW event at Churchill Downs. The next May, he broke his maiden at Churchill Downs. Since then, he has missed the board in only one race in 7 tries — and that came on a track that he didn’t like at Mountaineer in West Virgina. Before that race, he ran second to the Grade 1 winner Cupid in the Indiana Derby last year and third in the Kelly’s Landing Stakes at Churchill in 2016.  Since then, he ran second in the G3 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs this September and then won the Fayette.

“We thought he would go a mile and an eighth, and today he showed it,” said Bradley, after the race. “You never know until you get down there and do it. Calvin (Borel) rode him perfectly. Turning for home, we felt like we were going to win it.”

Borel — who rides regularly for his good and faithful friend Buff — was happy. Per usual.

“I had a good trip,” said Borel. “He left there running. I was right where I wanted to be at all times. I kinda smooched at him (to encourage him) around the turn. If I could just get my horse to go on and finish, I knew he could run. The mile and an eighth (distance of the race) kinda scared me, but he showed us today he can do it.”

The Player always shows up and has a good time showing out, as well.  Often, you will find him lying on a special bed Buff had made for him and lies under his stall webbing. The colt loves to stretch his neck and head into the shed row.

On Saturday, he helped make some more family memories.  For a very good family.