James E. Fitzsimmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids James E. Fitzsimmons |
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|---|---|
| Occupation | Trainer |
| Born | July 23, 1874 Sheepshead Bay, New York |
| Died | March 11, 1966 (aged 91) Miami, Florida |
| Career wins | 2,275 |
| Major racing wins | |
| Suburban Handicap (1922, 1938, 1951, 1956, 1958) Juvenile Stakes (1927, 1932, 1954, 1956) Tremont Stakes (1927, 1932, 1948, 1952, 1953) Jockey Club Gold Cup (1929, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1944, 1955, 1956) Empire City Handicap (1930, 1932, 1934, 1940, 1942, 1946) Wood Memorial Stakes (1930, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1955, 1957) American Classic Race wins: |
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| Racing awards | |
| U.S. Champion Trainer by earnings (1930, 1932, 1936, 1939, 1955) |
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| Honours | |
| United States' Racing Hall of Fame (1958) National Turf Writers Association annual Mr. Fitz Award |
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| Significant horses | |
| Hard Tack, Seabiscuit, Gallant Fox, Granville, Omaha, Johnstown, Nashua, Misty Morn, Bold Ruler, Dice | |
James Edward "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons (July 23, 1874 – March 11, 1966) was a super famous Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He trained some of the best horses in history!
Contents
Who Was Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons?
James Edward Fitzsimmons was born in a place called Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, in 1874. People often called him "Sunny Jim" or "Mr. Fitz." He became one of the most successful horse trainers ever. His career lasted an amazing 70 years, from 1894 to 1963. During that time, his horses won 2,275 races!
Starting Out in Horse Racing
James started working with horses when he was just 11 years old. He began as a stable boy at a racetrack in 1885. For about ten years, he tried being a jockey (the person who rides the horse in a race). But he got too heavy for that job. So, he decided to become a horse trainer instead. This turned out to be a great choice!
Amazing Achievements in Horse Racing
Sunny Jim trained many champion horses. He helped three horses win the Kentucky Derby, four win the Preakness Stakes, and six win the Belmont Stakes. These three races are super important and are called the Triple Crown.
He trained two horses that won the entire U.S. Triple Crown:
- Gallant Fox in 1930
- Omaha in 1935
Winning the Triple Crown is very rare and difficult. Sunny Jim's horses won a total of 13 "Classic" races (the big, important ones). This record was tied by another trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, in 2000 and then broken by him in 2013. Five times, Fitzsimmons was the trainer whose horses won the most money in a season.
In 1923, Fitzsimmons started training horses for Belair Stud, a famous horse farm. After the owner, William Woodward, Jr., passed away in 1955, Fitzsimmons continued to train for another group called the Wheatley Stable. There, he trained a famous horse named Bold Ruler. Bold Ruler later became the father of Secretariat, who is considered one of the greatest racehorses of all time!
Awards and Recognition
Because of all his amazing accomplishments, James Fitzsimmons was honored in 1958. He was put into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for people who have done incredible things in horse racing.
The National Turf Writers Association also created an award in his name. It's called the "Mr. Fitz Award." Each year, this award goes to someone special in the horse racing world.
Later Life
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons passed away in 1966 in Miami. He is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn.
Other Major Race Wins
Sunny Jim's horses won many other important races, including:
- Saratoga Cup: 10 times
- Dwyer Stakes: 9 times
- Lawrence Realization: 8 times
- Alabama Stakes: 8 times
- Suburban Handicap: 5 times
- Withers Stakes: 4 times
