Bradley Relishing The Ridler's Breeders' Cup Moment

Horse racing needs all the evangelists it can get, especially when their enthusiasm is infectious. No racehorse owner will be more immersed in the moment than Steve Bradley when his horse The Ridler  reaches the starting gate at the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

The Ridler's distinct facial markings have earned him a cult following in Britain, where he is trained by Richard Fahey. He has a blaze in the shape of a reversed question mark stamped boldly across his forehead. Hence his name: As a nod to Batman's arch-villain in comic books, where The Riddler's clothes, invariably green, were pocked with question marks.

Somewhat appropriately, the horse has become something of a riddle to his connections of late. His June 16 Norfolk Stakes (G2T) triumph at Ascot Racecourse earned him a free pass into the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) over 5 1/2 furlongs, yet the way he has since been training inclines Bradley to point instead at the Juvenile Turf (G1T) over a mile.

"It's a question of whether we have a sprinter or a miler on our hands," Bradley, 73, said of his homebred pride and joy. "Both Richard and I believe he could be very good over a mile, so we will probably nominate that as our first preference. Richard also has (Prix de l'Abbaye (G1T) winner) The Platinum Queen  for the Turf Sprint, and she will be hard to beat."

Whichever way connections go, The Ridler's imminent venture to Keeneland has played wildly on Bradley's heartstrings since he posted his controversial 50-1 victory at Royal Ascot. 

"Unbelievable is the only word I can think of to describe it," Bradley said. "It's a lifetime opportunity, isn't it? It has been amazing to contemplate it all summer."

Although he has always followed racing avidly, Bradley never expected to stand on such a notable threshold. He might never have gotten there but for two cataclysmic chapters that would change the course of his life.

His long and circuitous journey to Keeneland started on his parents' farm in west Wales, where he rode competitively in pony races until, aged 17, he fractured his skull. It happened in his horse's stall.

"I got kicked and hit my head on the stable wall as I went down," he said. "For a while it was touch and go. I was in a coma for three weeks, and although I went back to pony racing for a while, I was always very good with numbers. That led me to work in the financial services sector. I became UK Business Manager for (the international insurance conglomerate) Canada Life, but everything changed when I joined up with some people to set up an online website selling house insurance in 1997-98."

Bradley's 65-percent stake in UKInsuranceNET would make him a man of means. He and his wife, Sally, had already made detailed plans to savor their imminent retirement when another seismic intrusion stopped him in his tracks.

"Sally contracted pancreatic cancer and died seven years ago," Bradley said. "We were childhood sweethearts who got married and had three children, all grown up now and proud of every one of them. I have bunches of grandchildren, but some things you can't plan for; they just happen.

"Sally had her own career in the (British) National Health Service and she had an interest in racing, although nothing like my passion. She was a very young 63; my life dynamic changed when she died."

The consequence was that Bradley, who had owned "bits and pieces" of ordinary racehorses throughout his professional life, had the resources to up the ante when he sold his stake in the online company two years ago. "Sally dying spurred me more into racing, and now I had the sort of capital to do it in the way I really wanted."

In partnership with Hilary Fitzsimons, he already owned The Ridler's dam, Colorada, who'd been bought for a bargain-basement 2,500 guineas (US$2,933) in 2016. Colorada helped Bradley to realize a long-held ambition when Dylan De Vega, her 2-year-old of 2019, lined up for the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

In that event, Dylan De Vega banged himself in the starting stalls before he ambled home in 14th place. There would be drama of a different kind when his half brother ventured to the Royal meeting three years later.

In winning the Norfolk Stakes, The Ridler lugged badly left inside the final furlong, hampering rivals. Yet the stewards did not see fit to demote him, almost certainly because his margin of victory, at 1 3/4 lengths, was comprehensive.

And those 50-1 odds?

"He should never have been that price," insists Bradley, who cashed betting slips worth £2,400 ($2,681) in the aftermath. "I'll never forget that day. It was pure magic; it will stay with me forever."

The Ridler comes into the Breeders' Cup on the back of a listless effort in the Aug. 21 Prix Morny (G1T) over 6 furlongs. Yet Bradley is unperturbed. "We were disappointed, I must say, but he just had an off day," he said. "He raced from off the pace, and many jockeys said the (Deauville) track had a clear speed bias. The main thing is that Richard is happy with him now."

Bradley's unconditional love of racing has seen his string of racehorses expand to 14. He treasures those he has bred himself, and believes The Ridler will acquit himself with honor at Keeneland. "I don't think he'll go off at 50-1 again," he said.

The one lament is that he won't have Sally by his side. 

"You meet others in similar circumstances and we all have to accept it, even though it is hard," Bradley said of losing his wife. "We all have a different journey through life."