The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-20
GENTRY SOLD AGAIN
SOMETHING ABOUT THE FAMOUS
sEDGWIOK COUNTY PAGER.
10 Was Foaled ON Friday and Thus the
Superstition Clinging to That Day IL
Proved False-Whiie He Was . Fiiiy
Jim Ramsey Saw HE Great Future In q
Dream and Bought Him for Four
Hundred Dollars-Ths Original Name
OF the Great Horse Was Nicely TODD
His Victories on the Tack.

/, The famous horse, John r. Gentry
that was sold yesterday. was native Of
Sedgwick county, having been foaled al
| the Toler stock farm in 1889. He first
! saw the light Of day on Friday morning
and, as a matter OF course, there were
some superstitious feelings aroused. In
after years. when the horse became IA
! nous. Mr.. Toier, his original owner, de-
! fed the superstition connected with Fr:-
day, by starting out with his horses ev-
cry year On that day.
John r. Gentry was the second son of
Damewood and the celebrated stallion.
Ashland Wilkes, Myron McHenry being
tine first.
The original name for John r. Gentry
was Neeley Todd. He was named after
the bookkeeper for the wholesale grocery
house of Bittman Taylor & Co., of Leav-
enworth, with which firm H. G. Toler
was connected at that time as travelling
salesman. Neley Todd is now member
OF the firm and one OF the prominent bus
mess men and citizens of Leavenwortn.
When Neeley Todd was a colt of five
months old his name was changed to
John R. Gentry and the change was
brought about in this manner. Jimmy
Ramey, at that time, was working for
Mr.. Toler and he dreamed one night that
there was great future before the colt
He asked Mr.. Toler how much he would
take for him and the price set was S40o
Jimmy Ramey had about $3.50, but he
was able to get the remainder by raking
and scraping, and in due time the ''filly''
was turned over to him. He took him
n Mn hale ipta
in him to John r. Gentry of that ploce
The name of the animal was then chang
ed and he was given the name of the
new proprietor.
The colt was intended for trotter. but
at the end OF two years he showed no
ability in that line and his proprietors
concluded to put the hobbies on him and
sc what he could do as a PAGER He
proved to be able to pace a good heat.
The next year they took the hobbies
off and Gentry got to working so hard
that Ramey concluded to put him in
the races. At three years he made a
record of 2:1SM, and his new proprietors
were very much elated. At four years
he was not entered in races at all At
1--WE years old, Mr.. Toler began receiving
letters from Ramey, telling him of the
great speed of the young stallion. Mr.
Toler did not give credence to all the
claims he was making for the horse
Ramey shipped Gentry to Cleveland. O..
in his hve-year-old form and entered
him at the races there, When the first
heat was called the bets were fifty to
one against the horse. Mr. Toler, who
was present, wanted to take all bets, bu;
Ramey wouldn't let him, not believing
that he could win. Gentry not only woii
the heat but won the race next day, mis-
time being 2:09,4. All the people of the
United States now began to talk of the
new star Of the track. The next day
Holtor Scott of Graham, S. c., bought
Gentry. 1t was alleged that he gave
$4,000 for him, but the real sum was
probably $4,000. Mr.. Scott put Gentry
in the hands of NJ. E. McHenry and he
won about all the races he was entered
in thar year. AT Terre Haute he broke
the record by pacing the mile in 2:03A |
At the start of the next season he low
cred his record to 2:03A at Freeport in |
a match with Joe Patchen. He went 70 |
the three-quarter post at a two-minuta
clip and would have won out at that |
had ii not been for the fact that he pulled |
up for Joe Patchen, who broke. Then |,
all the boys declared that a two-minute |
record was in sight. This race so early |
in tie season took the feather-edge off |
his speed. That year he was bought al |
auction by VIM. Simpson, the millionaire |
rawpbroker, of New York, who immedl- |
ately put Gentry in the hands of Billy |
Edwards. The price paid by Simpson |
Has $500. The next year he did no. |
show up well, but finally Andrews got |
him In shape and he beat Robert j..
Joe Patchen and all Of the cracker |
ia cks
After these victories Mr. Simpson con-
'luded not TO start him in any more races
out TO pace him against time. He |
agreed, however, TO match him in d pace
With Star Pointer, and Gentry paced the
nile in 2:o11h. Afterwards. at Rigby
Park, near Boston, he paced a mile in
ICY.
Thus ii was that astive Ssdgwick
'ounty horse became the worlds and
,istory's champion for speed.