The reknowned sportswriter of his day, Red Smith, who wrote for the NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE paid tribute to My Grandfather days after his death in late 1957. He quotes Old Man Fitz’s grandson, Jim Fitzsimmons, who had this to say about my grandfather, Bart; “He was the man whom you gave the job that had to be done at 2:10 p.m. or a.m., knowing it would get done at 2:10, plus or minus no seconds.”

Red Smith added: “Bart Sweeney was a Gael out of Tipperary. He was a quiet, courteous, reserved gentleman, slightly above the average in height, stoutly built as an oak is stout, graying more than a trifle...the qualities that distinguished this Irishman were unwavering faithfulness, meticulous attention to detail, utter and absolute reliability.” Bart Sweeney worked up until a day or two before he died. The last horse my grandfather lay his leathery and gnarled hands on was Bold Ruler who went on to win the Horse of The Year title and sire the 1970s super-horse, Secretariat.

At the age of twenty, my father left the “backstretch” stable area to work "upfront” on the starting gate. As an assistant starter in the late 1950s till the mid 1970s, my father handled Thoroughbred racing’s most famous horses: The handsome Buckpasser, Stage Door Johnny, Northern Dancer, The great geldings Kelso and Forego. Dr. Fager, Ruffian (greatest filly of all time), Shuvee (daughter of Nashua), Riva Ridge, Damascus, and Quadrangle. His tough, but gentle demeanor in handling these high—strung, thousand-pound beasts made him the preferred choice among owners and trainers.

In horse racing, victory is usually determined by a good start. Thoroughbred horses are very skittish and must be kept calm. The Head Starter depends on good assistants to calm and control the horses so they all break from the starting gate at the same time. My father was one of the best and was often personally assigned to 1973 Triple Crown great, Secretariat.

During a typical day at the Track, the races are spread out with 45 minute breaks between each race. During these respites, my father turned a casual hobby of woodcarving in to a much-sought-after talent. Before long, he was carving full racing scenes in great detail on huge planks of fine hardwoods. Soon, all of his spare time was spent in his wood shop, meticulously handcrafting custom orders. He also made beautiful desk pen sets personalized with the particular stables’ “colors.” He carefully hand painted the color of the jockey’s silks to the “t.” His work endures in stable offices, studys and tack rooms of farms and racetracks around the country.

In his late 30s, my father left the starting gate and began to advance through the ranks as a racing official. As a Patrol Judge, he was perched high above the racecourse, where he would watch the race through Binoculars. If he saw jockeys “foul” each other, he would report it to the Stewards, who would rule on the matter. He built a reputation for a sharp eye, fairness and above all — integrity. He was not afraid to cite fouls on powerful and influential jockeys and trainers. His life was cut short at the young age of 43 in a car accident, but his legacy was secured for posterity. Charles Colgan, of The National Steeplechase and Hunt Association dedicated his 1981 book, AMERICAN STEEPLECHASING, to my father:

“This book is dedicated to Bart Sweeney. He was a racing official who set a standard of excellence that will live forever. He was also an irreplaceable friend and he left us much too soon”.