Mr. Fitz Award
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sport | Horse racing |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | "Typifying the spirit of racing" |
| Location | U.S. |
| Presented by | National Turf Writers Association |
| History | |
| First award | 1981 |
| First winner | Jack Klugman |
| Most recent | Perry Ouzts |
The Mr. Fitz Award is presented annually by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) for typifying the spirit of horse racing. The award is named in honor of Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons.
The Mr. Fitz award has been presented since 1981 in honor of the late horse trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, who trained horses such as 1955 Horse of the Year Nashua and 1957 Horse of the Year Bold Ruler.[1]
The award recognizes an individual who reflects "the spirit of thoroughbred racing."[2] The National Turf Writers Association presents the award at its annual dinner each year.
The first to receive the award was Quincy actor Jack Klugman, owner of Jaklin Klugman, in 1981.[3]
In 1985, John Henry, two-time American Horse of the Year, was the first horse selected by racing writers to receive the Mr. Fitz Award.[4]
