Neil Howard may be best known for his thoughtful and patient handling
of young horses. Rarely will you see a Howard juvenile pop first-time
out. In fact, according to DRF Formulator statistics, Howard is only 3
for 51 (6 percent, 0.85 return on investment) with debuting 2-year-olds
over the past five years.
Mineshaft, arguably the most accomplished horse Howard has ever
trained, was unraced at 2 and only a maiden graduate from seven tries in
Europe at 3. Howard didn’t get his hands on Mineshaft until November of
his sophomore season but masterfully guided him to a Horse of the Year
campaign at 4.
Howard also has been mostly immune to “Derby Fever,” an affliction
that can send the most even-tempered horsemen over the moon with
unrealistic expectations for their developing sophomores.
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