Stakes winner The Player 'back to himself,' continues recovery

William “Buff” Bradley doesn’t yet want to declare The Player out of the woods in terms of his recovery from recent surgery. But, continuing the metaphor Friday, the trainer said his colt is “peeking through the trees.”

It’s left Bradley thinking about what could be ahead for the fan-favorite 5-year-old who suffered his injury running in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 24 at Fair Grounds.

“He’s a colt. He’s a full horse. He’s all in tact,” said Bradley, who also co-owns the homebred with Carl Hurst. “I was hoping to make him a stallion before this. He’s won some big races and has some money behind him.”

Or, The Player could be gelded and live his days out on Bradley’s Farm. Either way, should he remain healthy, Bradley promised this multiple stakes winner would live a “spoiled” life.

The Player has remained at Louisiana State University’s equine hospital following an operation to fuse his ankle back together. A son of Street Hero, the horse may return home to Kentucky in the next two to four weeks, with the fact he could develop laminitis a constant fear.

The only real setback experienced so far came about a week ago, when medical staff noticed an irritation with The Player’s cast.

“They had to knock him out, lay him down and change the cast on him,” Bradley said. “Since then he’s been fine.”

LSU’s staff continues to send Bradley photos regularly, including one this week of the colt sitting on his haunches, his tongue out.

“You feel like he’s back to himself,” the trainer said. “I can tell he’s very content. He’s happy. While this was very devastating, I remain positive about the outcome.”

Since The Player arrived at LSU, he’s been treated so well, Bradley quipped that “they’re going to be my second-favorite school to follow now” behind his beloved University of Kentucky. Veterinarian Charles McCauley, also an assistant professor of equine surgery at LSU, performed the operation after The Player broke both sesamoids in his leg.

“I told Dr. McCauley, you will keep him until he’s ready to travel to Kentucky, and then I’ll drive down there personally and get him,” Bradley said. “I want to be moving him around to where people don’t know him and how he is.”

“…Every day that goes by that he can escape laminitis, I think, is good. That’s always your real worry.”