Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Fitzgerald has ‘ultimate respect’
Pam Fitzgerald decided on a career path much earlier than most of her classmates in her native Denver, Colo. With the now-defunct Centennial Race Course near her home, it’s no surprise that Fitzgerald has spent her life working at the racetrack.
“My parents bought their first racehorse when I was 6,” she said. “I went to elementary school about a mile from Centennial, and as soon as school got out, I hightailed it to the track. I just loved it.”
Fitzgerald, 60, is the daughter of Jim and Marilyn Fitzgerald, who bred, owned, and trained horses that competed in Colorado, Nebraska, and New Mexico. Pam Fitzgerald later ventured to larger circuits and worked for trainers Frankie Brothers, Bobby Frankel, and Bill Mott before joining Al Stall Jr.
Fitzgerald is Stall’s main assistant and oversees the stable’s division at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La. In the winter, she moves with the barn to Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
“She’s a prototypical assistant trainer – natural horse ability, plenty of experience, and a killer work ethic,” Stall said. “She could hang her shingle out and train 50 on her own, but she’s smarter than that!”
Stall has had a particularly memorable run this summer in Louisiana and is quick to credit Fitzgerald’s efforts. The barn is winning at a 47 percent rate at Louisiana Downs, and heading into Monday’s card led the standings with 14 wins from 30 starts. Stall won with 13 of 15 starters in Louisiana between June 20 and July 14. That run included victories at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, where Stall has won with his last six starters in a streak that began June 8.
Fitzgerald said the run of wins came together for a couple of reasons.
“We might have to steal a line from Michael Stidham,” she said. “One meet, when he was doing really well, they asked him about it and he said, ‘We’ve got a new feed program. We’re feeding faster horses.’
“We’ve just got a lot of nice horses here. We happened to have horses with a lot of conditions. A lot of young horses. And the horses are sound.”
Fitzgerald first made her way to Louisiana Downs in the 1980s, when she went to work for Brothers.
“I knew how to ride – he taught me how to gallop,” she said.
Fitzgerald spent 13 years with the Brothers operation, which ranks as one of the winningest ever at Louisiana Downs. Also during her tenure with the barn, Fitzgerald regularly galloped and traveled with Hansel, the Brothers trainee who earned more than $2.5 million while winning the Preakness and Belmont stakes.
Fitzgerald eventually made her way to Southern California, and during her three years with the Frankel operation worked closely with multiple Grade 1 winner Tinners Way, a son of Secretariat who earned $1.8 million.
“I galloped him for most of his career,” she said. “I galloped him both times he won the Pacific Classic.”
Fitzgerald later returned to Louisiana and joined Stall’s stable. She had known the Stall family from her days with Brothers, who trained for Stall’s father, Al Stall.
“We used to go to the Stalls’ for Thanksgiving, Christmas,” Fitzgerald said. “They’re like my second family.
“I started with Al in 1995 or 1996. I’ve been here a long time. I like the way he puts the horse first.”
Star Guitar was a Fitzgerald favorite in the Stall barn. He won 24 of 30 starts – including 22 stakes – and ranks as the alltime leading Louisiana-bred in earnings with $1.7 million. Star Guitar came to Fitzgerald at the age of 2.
“She took a 17-day vacation when Star was 4 or 5, and she wore me out on the telephone, checking in on Star,” Stall said. “She was with him literally on a daily basis all those years. She truly loved that horse.”
“He was a pleasure to be around,” Fitzgerald said. “I always joked with [owner] Evelyn Benoit she should have named him The Fireman. He came to the rescue. Say you got beat in three races earlier on a Louisiana champions card, you could count on him to pull it out. He just did what it took.”
These days, Fitzgerald is focusing on the latest Louisiana-bred program of stakes, the Louisiana Cup card Aug. 4 at Louisiana Downs. One of Star Guitar’s daughters, Iona Guitar, will start as a top choice in the $60,000 Juvenile Fillies for Benoit and Stall. She earned a Beyer Figure of 74 for her debut win at Louisiana Downs, the best number put up by a 2-year-old in this region this year.
As for Fitzgerald, Stall said her place in his operation and on the Louisiana racing scene is the same as it’s been for years.
“Everyone’s got the ultimate respect for her,” he said.
◗ Eric Halstrom has been named vice president of operations for Louisiana Downs. He is a past executive with Fair Grounds and Canterbury.
◗ A golf tournament benefiting the Louisiana Downs chaplaincy is Aug. 23 at Querbes in Shreveport.