Career
Born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in 1874, 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 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 three Kentucky Derby winners, four Preakness Stakes winners, and six Belmont Stakes winners. Included were two United States. Triple Crown champions, Gallant Fox in 1930 and Omaha in 1935.
His total of thirteen Classic wins was tied by Doctorate. Wayne Lukas in 2000 and broken by Lukas in 2013. Five times, Fitzsimmons was the season"s top money-winning trainer.
In 1923 Jim Fitzsimmons took over training at Belair Study.
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons died in 1966 in Miami. He is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn. Selected other major stakes race wins:
Saratoga Cup: 10
Dwyer Stakes: 9
Lawrence Realization: 8
Alabama Stakes: 8
Suburban Handicap: 5.