Career
Born in Haslemere, Surrey, his father was a Royal Marine who served with the U.S. Marines in Korea. Drysdale studied at the University of Barcelona, and then taught English as a foreign language - but then switched his mind to horses.
He moved to Florida to work with show horses, and then became involved with racing thoroughbreds, spending two years with John Hartigan at Tartan Farms in Ocala, Florida. He then moved to a thoroughbred stable in Argentina, then managed a stud farm in Venezuela. Drysdale returned to the United States and worked as an assistant to Roger Laurin for two years, and then between 1970-74 he was assistant to Charlie Whittingham in California. He says the most important things he learned from Whittingham were patience and planning. He began working for Corbin Robertson's Saron Stable in 1974, notably winning eight races with Bold 'n Determined in 1980 (a bicoastal Grade 1 winner between 1979–81 and winner of 16 of 20 starts), including a triumph over eventual division champion Genuine Risk
In 1983, Drysdale opened his racing office in Playa Del Rey, California. His first major winner was Forceten, and he has since saddled a total of 31 Breeders' Cup runners and has six winners to his credit, including 1992 winner A.P. Indy - a total exceeded only by D. Wayne Lukas and Claude 'Shug' McGaughey. A.P. Indy plus Princess Rooney, Tasso and Hollywood Wildcat all went from winning the Breeders' Cup to win the Eclipse Awards, with A.P. Indy voted the 1992 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.
Noted for his patience and instinctive ability to place horses where they belong, Drysdale also conditioned Hawksley Hill, Labeeb, French Deputy, and Roanoke. Beyond his Grade 1 wins in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders'Cup, Drysdale has also won the Acorn Stakes, Apple Blossom, CCA Oaks, Hollywood Derby, Santa Anita Derby, and Molson Million
Drysdale's owners now include Sheikh Maktoum and Peter Vegso As horse racing has gone international, so has Drysdale, racing horses in Dubai, Hong Kong and South Africa
Inducted into Racing Hall of Fame in 2000, the year he won the Kentucky Derby with Fusaichi Pegasus, his first starter in the race.
Read more about this topic: Neil D. Drysdale
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