The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-27

his forefathers to go after the Topeka
track record and to make his mark in
the state that has furnished so many
of the wonders of the trotting and pac-
ing world.
The fast ones from Kansas have been
making all kinds of records through the
east this year and last and Kansas
! horsemen are showing more than a
usual interest in racing With the won
derful records of Little Squaw, Maxine,
Red Bird and others fast time is get
ting to be such an old story in Kansas
that the norSemen are looking for the
fast miles that can be made and for
that reason the appearance of Dan
Patch at Topeka to go against his
worlds record is attracting more than
ordinary attention because of the fact
that Dan Patch's sire, grandsire, great
grandsire, grand dam and great grand
dam were all Kansas horses. Dan Patch
is the son of that famous Kansas horse,
Joe Patchen, the iron horse, who Is
rivaled in Kansas horse history only
by Robert McGregor, the monarch of
the home stretch who was owned by
Robert L Lee, of Topeka. Robert NC
Gregor, the sire of CreSceus, and Joe
Patchen, with mis- gallant son Dan
Patch, go down in equine history as the
two most famous Kansas sires. Dan
Patch, with his worlds record of 1:56A,
the fastest mile ever made by a horse
in harness, is today the king of all rae
ers, and there is no doubt whatever but
that when ne goes against time with a
day of fair week. he will lower the To-
peka track record and break all Kansas
records far a, half mile track.
Horsemen and horse lovers from all
over the state are coming to topeka
to see Dan Patch go against his rec
ord. There was a crowd of 10000
out to see him at Des Moines this
week and that crowd may be equalled
in Topeka.
Dan Patch goes from Des Moines
to Springfield, Ill, from there to Mill
waukee and then comes to Topeka.
He will be at the Memphis grand cir
cult meet after his appearance in To-
peka and then he goes to his Mime
sofa home.
The coming of Dan Patch to Tope-
ka has awakened iA the minds of
records of such gallant Kansas horses
as Lille Young, Patchen Wilkes, ole
Young, John r. Gentry, "the little red
horse from Kansas" with a record
of 200 4 Ashland Wilkes, Silkwood,
who set the California record of 2:07,
which stood until Gentry broke it in
four heats of two RACES in ZOOS and
2:03 u. All these historic names and
incidents are revived and also the
story of SmuggIer.
1t was in 1870 that the sensational Snug
gleF startled the tr9ttipg % g.9H,t With his
not born in Kansas, but he was taken by
his owner, Mr. Morgan, from Ohio to
was determined to pace, although his
owner was determined that he should trot,
was educated to do better than he was
doing. In Ohio 20 (think of it, four min
uteS and over, was his best record, but
his owner was sure he the making of
a fast horse. and he was. 1t was Kan
sas atmosphere that brought him out and
the great Smuggler will never be forgot
ten.
No wonder that interest centers in the
appearance of Dan Patch in Topeka and
no wonder that Kansas horsemen are
proud of him and that they revive the
memories of Kansas turf victories. Kan
sas is certainly the home of fast horses,
proven by the fact that Robert McGUag-
or sold, at 10 years of age, for $3.50;
that Joe Young at 20 years of age, went
a mile. with only 30 days preparation, in
2:1S: that John E. Gentry surprised the
New Englanders, at Portland Me, byfgo-
ing in 2:oO15 and breaking the worlds rec
ord and that Joe Patchen nosed our Rob
ert jr., then the champion, and took the
medal to the time of 2:01A.