The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-04
DAN PATCH SETS
Up new RECORD.
Went the Mile Out in 1861
at Hamline Other
,..ss a.. Races.
Before the largest audience

Before the largest audience Of his professional
career Dan Patch of Minneapolis yesterday
paced mile in 1861, establishing new state
record for the Hamline course. 1t was not the
fastest mile that Dan has paced, but it was
within second and quarter of his best
record and 1t was passed track which,
according to the drivers who participated In
yesterdays races, was at least two seconds
slow. ri
Dams great effort to lower his record came
late in the afternoon, after several heats in the
2:25 trot and the 200 pace, the other track
events of the day, had been rum. Preliminary
to his attempt to break his record Dan paced
mile in 2:O9. Hersey, his driver, predicted that
the great PAGER would do better than 1857 when
the time came for his speed trial.
Paced by running horses and without a
wind shield of any kind, Dan Patch settled
down for his race against time at the second
scoring. ~ rrT .>s-.' .s..s:...-
To the spectators who expected to see Dan
do better than 1857, the first quarter was dis
appointing, for the distance was covered in
29h seconds, 1853 clip. At the half, how
with the megaphone in the judges stand an
nounced to the crowd that the horse had covered
the half-mile in ssh seconds, the certainty of
remarkably fast mile became apparent.
Drivers say that the third half mile on the
Hamline track, owing to slight grade, is the
slowest portion of the course, but Dan paced
the third quarter in 2SA seconds, the fastest
quarter of his mile. AS he flashed by the three
quarter pole the timers in the judges stand
caught his time as 1:27A.
Crowd on Track.
Despite the efforts of policemen the i'm
mense crowd surrounding the track in front
of the grandstand had broken over the fences
In their attempt to see the worlds greatest
pacing stallion, and the last 100 yards of the
final quarter Hersey drove Dan. Patch thru a
lien of spectators. The horse however, appa-
rently intent on nothing but speed, never
swerved from his course, and flashed by the
grandstand in 1861.
At the conclusion of the race hundreds Of
spectators pressed around the great horse
and 1t was with trouble that his caretakers
forced a way thru the crowd to the stables. As
the blanketed king of PAGERS passed the stands
he was given tremendous ovation by the peo-
pie who had seen the fastest PAGER in the
world pace the fastest mile on record in Minne-
sofa. 1t was generally predicted that Saturday.
when Dan makes his second attempt to lower
his worlds record, the Hamline mark would
again be shattered by the Savage horse.
f. The Race Card.
Altho the great interest of the day conferred
in the attempt Of Dan Patch to lower his
record the two other events on the racing card
the 2:35 trot and the 200 pace-proved
decidedly interesting races, and developed sew
eral exciting finishes.
In the 2:35 trot Splan Of Lexington, with
his game trotting mare Bi-Flora, carried off
three straight heats and the big end of
the 81, 900 purse. Bi-Flora was easily the favor
lite with the people who have been following the
racing game thru the year, and she justified the
confidence Of the race-followers by trotting the
three heats under 2:l2. The mare made the
2:0S mark in an earlier race of the year, and
Splan, her driver, stated after the race that
the track was easily two seconds slow The
third heat of the race was the most interesting
closest contested, as Charlie Belden and Agnes
Helford pushed Splan hard for place and fin
ished neck-and-neck with Bi-Flora.
Five heats were necessary to decide the 2:O9
crs. In the first heat Sally Pointer, not picked
LOOMS, driven by Tinker, carried off first hon
ors. In the first heat Sully Pointer, not picked
for place by many Of the horsemen, developed
wonderful speed and won the heat in 2:O6A
the fastest race time of the day. Sally Pointer
however, seemed to weaken in the next four
heats of the race, and unable to finish
better than fourth. Colonel Loomis took first in
the second heat with Castlewood second and
Tony Teg third. The third heat went to Tony
Teg after an exciting finish. Colonel Loomis
came back strong in the fourth heat and cinched
first money by winning first place against Cas-
tlewood. In the final heat of the race Tinker,
with first money SAFE did not push his horse
to the limit, and Castlewood won the race, with
LOOMS second and Tony Teg third.
The summary: =