Edward A. Neloy

Biography

Eddie Neloy quit school in favor of the racetrack at age 14 and — with the exception of service in World War II — spent the rest of his life at the races. He became a head trainer in 1945 and developed a reputation for transforming claiming horses into stakes winners, which soon brought him higher quality horses.

Neloy attracted good horses by turning claimers such as Heliowise, Lucrative, and Travertime into stakes horses, and he drew top owners by turning himself — through extensive reading of classic literature — into a trainer of confidence and poise. He won the Kentucky Oaks with Fascinator, the Withers with Jet Action, the Brooklyn with Invigorator, bought Hall of Famer Gun Bow for Gedney Farm and with him won the Strub by 12, the Brooklyn in record time, and the Woodward over Hall of Famer Kelso.

Neloy took over training for the various stables of the Phipps family in 1966, set an earnings record ($2,456,250), which stood for eight years, and was North America’s leading trainer in earnings in 1966, 1967, and 1968.

The best horse Neloy trained was Hall of Famer Buckpasser, the 1966 Horse of the Year. Under Neloy's care as a 3-year-old, Buckpasser won the American Derby, Travers, Woodward, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flamingo, Arlington Classic, and Lawrence Realization. Neloy also trained champion colts Successor and Vitriolic, champion filly Queen of the Stage, and champion sprinter Impressive. Neloy’s final stakes winner, Numbered Account, was a daughter of Buckpasser and a champion in 1971, the year Neloy died at age 50, during training hours at Belmont Park.

Achievements

North America's leading trainer in earnings — 1966, 1967, 1968

Other Highlights

Won the Hopeful Stakes — 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969
Won the Brooklyn Handicap — 1954, 1964, 1966
Won the Metropolitan Handicap — 1965, 1966, 1967
Won the Saratoga Special — 1965, 1967, 1968