ONCE there was horse racing at the Garrison Savannah, veteran retired trainer Fitz Gittens was a fixture.
He would attend exercise early on mornings, especially when the big race days beckoned and indulge in meaningful conversations about the present-day horses and those of yesteryear.
After each race day, Gittens would hang around upstairs in the Incitatus Lounge to reflect on the day’s performances.
This all changed last year during the Barbados Turf Club’s third season as 86-year-old Gittens, who is affectionately known as “Alleyne” by the older racing fraternity, could not make his customary appearance to witness the latter half of the final season after experiencing trouble with his feet.
As time went on, this proved to be the main reason the former trainer cannot now attend the sport he dedicated most of his life to as he suffered from a severe bout of arthritis and is no longer able to walk.
Now, ever race day, Gittens still follows the races by getting a copy of the racing programme from the Barbados Turf Club as well as reports in the NATION newspaper. He is also tuned in to the radio commentaries and would watch any racing meets on cable television.
Gittens got involved in racing from a very early age, starting as a stable lad with Sir John Chandler and eventually working his way up to become head lad. During the early 1960s he travelled to Trinidad and Tobago for the Christmas meeting as head lad with the likes of Pepperpot, Ferryboat, Water Lily and Volata.
Gittens holds good memories of his trip to the land of calypso as Pepperpot was the last Barbadian horse to win the Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago Derby in 1962.
It was there that Gittens acquired his trainer’s licence through owner Attie Joseph. He also won two races in Trinidad and Tobago with an imported horse named Bihero, owned by J.B. Patsy Springer. Before those wins, Bihero had given Gittens the first of his 202 wins at the Garrison Savannah on November 11, 1967.
Gittens sits at number 13 on the list of Barbados’ leading trainers of all times, which is headed by the late William “Bill” Marshall, who won 648 races. Liz Deane, who trains for Hopefield Stables, is second on 525.
His major careers wins came through the late Gladstone Branch-owned Rarees Lass, who won the Cave Shepherd 5000, a race that was once the dress rehearsal for the Sandy Lane Gold Cup. Gittens also landed the Benson and Hedges Stakes with the Audley Ellis-owned Green Lady.
From that very first win to his last on August 27, 1988, with Michelle My Girl and Dancing Miss, Gittens’ statistics showcased his consistency winning regularly on most race days.
In his latter days, he trained for owner Leroy Foster, gaining many winners, including the previously mentioned two along with Dipinto The Pruner and Master Blaster.
A standout among his winners was Floating Mohammed, which was owned by Peter Odle and Sir David Simmons.
Some other wins came with the likes of Cherry Chips, Cedar Princess and Anna Mercedes, all owned by the late Amory Phillips, Chaste Lady, Mount Master, Declaration, Tia Wing Wah, Run The Risk, Jamaica Way, Caerhagean, Music Affair, Spring Time, Abbi Gold, Miss Ortinola, Happy Go Lucky and Maginot Line.
