LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith will be honored by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters with the Mr. Fitz Award.
The Hall of Fame rider will receive the award, named for longtime trainer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, for typifying the spirit of racing at the group’s 59th annual awards dinner on Oct. 31 in Louisville.
Smith rode Justify to a sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont this spring for horse racing’s second Triple Crown in four years. The 53-year-old Hall of Famer will be in Louisville to compete in the Breeders’ Cup world championships at Churchill Downs. Smith is the all-time leading rider in Cup history with 26 wins and nearly $36 million in purse earnings.
Others to be honored at the NTWB dinner are former jockey Donna Barton Brothers, who will receive the Jim McKay Award for excellence in broadcasting; publicist Jim Gluckson, with the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing; and Daily Racing Form writer Marty McGee, with the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing.