Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons

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James Edward ("Sunny Jim") Fitzsimmons (July 23, 1874 – March 11, 1966) was a thoroughbred racehorse trainer.

Born in Sheepshead Bay near Brooklyn, New York, Fitzsimmons began his career in 1885 working at a racetrack as a stable boy. After nearly ten less-than-successful years as a thoroughbred jockey, he became too heavy for that job and took up the training of horses. He went on to one have one of the most successful careers in racing history that spanned seventy years from 1894-1963 and produced 2,275 race wins.

Known both as "Sunny Jim" and as "Mr. Fitz," he trained a mare named "Swing On" with some success but had little luck with her colt and after two years the owner gave up and the horse was sold. While Wheatley Stable's "Seabiscuit" was one that "got away," Fitzsimmons trained three Kentucky Derby winners, four Preakness Stakes winners, and six Belmont Stakes winners. Included were two U.S. Triple Crown champions, Gallant Fox in 1930 and Omaha in 1935.

In 1923 Fitzsimmons took over training at Belair Stable. Five times, Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons was the season's top money-winning trainer and amongst his other famous horses he trained "Nashua" an "Granville." Following the death of Belair's owner and the dispersal of its stock, Fitzsimmons continued to train for the Wheatley Stable where he trained Preakness winner and the 1957 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year winner, "Bold Ruler" who sired the great "Secretariat."

In recognition of his accomplishments, in 1958 Fitzsimmons was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The National Turf Writers Association created an award in his name called the "Mr. Fitz" to honor a member of the horse racing fraternity each year. In 2006, it went to Team Barbaro.

Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons died in 1966 in Miami, Florida.

Major Stakes Race victories: