The Washington herald., 1907-11-11
Famous PAGER Was in a Way
a Local Horse.
MADE A REMARKABLE RECORD
After Working His Way Into the
LimeIiEht the GeIdinE's Principal
or HnIf-miIe Tracks in Different
SectionS-HnrnesS Horse Gossip.

than ordinary interest and regret 70
Washington harness horsemeh for Yoak-
um. in a way, was a local horse Frank
Ioal0um was bred by James d. Yoe-
mans, formerly a member of the Inter
state Commerce Commission. who died
IN this city about a year ago. The gel
ding was fOaled on Mr.. Yoeman's farm
at Onawa, iowa, in lS96. Ills sire was
the stallion Parker also owned by Mr.
Yoeuans. Parker was sby Alcantara.
GOakum's dam was the gray mare Jane
Hoyt, now owned by Washington Nay
Tor. OF this city Jane Hoyt is more
than twenty years old. She was sired by
Mohican. son OF Hambletonian y, and
her dam was Modjeska, by Alpine son
OF Alm0nt.
About the time Frank Yoakm came
into the world Mr. YOemans purchased
a'big farp near Ashburn. Va. and John
Seeley, now OF this city. who owns tho
running horses Gunston. Sea Gate. and
others. was made superintendent OF 1t.
and later Frank Yoakum was placed IN
his hands. Seeley has until lately trained
and raced trotters and PAGERS and ne
gave YOakum his first lessons over the
Old Dominion running course ON Alex
andria Island, just across the Potomac
from this city
Yoakum developed speed rapidly, and
when four years old Seeley set him 10
racing. giving him a mark around 2.I0.
and in 1902 he was sold by Mr.. Yeomans
to CHARLES L0ngbotham. of Chester. Pr,
for a long price. That year Mr. Lon
botham turned the gelding over TO Charles
Doble. who campaigned him for two sea-
sons The first year Doblc drove him
Yoakum started twelve times. finishing
first eleven times and second once. In
1893 he wont six out Of eleven races in
which he started. going twenty-one heats
over half-mile tracks in time ranging from
2:l52. down 70 2:OSlz. and fourteen heats
over mile Irscks from 2.09IR 10 2Q52, win
ming during the year. about $1,000 Curt
Gosnell drove Yoakum during part Of
the season of 1904. as did Ben Walker
In that year the geldinE started eighteen
times. finishing first eight times. second
twice. third four times. and fourth once.
In 1893 Yoakum WAS turned over 70 Ed
ward MCGrath, who has handled him
since that time as an exhibition horse.
Frank Noakums record was 2.0i. made
over the POttstOwn. Pa. track During
the past two years his chief work was in
breaking half-mile track records, and il
is claimed for him that within that period
he lowered the mark for thirty-eight diff
ferent courses. His fastest miles over
two-lap rings We're gone az Titusviue
Pa. and Rochester, y. Y. For each Of
the tracks Yoakum set a mark Of 2-05l.
He also paced the Mount Holly Y J.,
track in 2-o6i4; the Oh City. Pa track in
2.06a4: the Hartford. Conn. haIf-mile ring
in 2-Ul- the HagerstOwu track in 2-U7i4
and the Greensburg Pa track in 2:O.z..
With the exception Of Dan Patch. Frank
lOakum was perhaps the fastest horse IN
the world over a half-mile ring. and dur
ing his actual racing days he was "a prom
inent figure on the grand circuit His
great race at Poughkeepsie in 1895 against
a big field Of the fastest PAGERS in the
world is still well remembered In this
event he lost the first heat by barely a
head TO Barron Grafton in 2:0pt. won the
second by half a length, in 2,O42.. and lost
the third one 20 Barron Grafton by a nose
IN 2.04As. Ioakum first came into real
prominence on the big rings when in 1913
he won a $1,000 purse for 2.1O PAGERS at
| Brighton Beach, where he beat field OF
nine horses, in 2:O614. 2:05ai, and 2:g7I4
Tom Cannon. who has been racing on
the Big Fair Circuit in North Carolina
since leaving this section. six weeks ago.
has been offered the superintendent OF
the salisbury track and grounds and Il
is said will locate there. Canon has made
Washington his home for many wears.
during which time he did his training at
Brightwood. and Re is known TO nearly
everybody in this city. He is regarded as
one Of the most thorough horsemen in the
country and as driver Of either trotter
or PAGER has few equals. During his ca
reer at Brightwood he handled a number
of horses that later became famous. The
Salisbury plant is Of recent birth. and is
said TO be the best one of its kind In
North Carolina Cannon has in his pres
ent string Of speed Possum. Running
Brook. and Donovan Boy. trotters, and a
PAGER or two. with all Of which he has
been doing well in the South. each horse
having won at least two races for him
Henry Reeves has also been on the Big
-Four rinEs and shows well in the race
summaries He won the free-for-all pace
with Minnie Thompson at Salisbury last
Friday and got fourth money in the pa
trot with Bell Isle. which race Tom Can
non won in straight heats with the gray
gelding Possum.
The report that was spread three or
four weeks ago that Charles McDermott
had bought the Notchcliff farm, near Bal
timOre, and would set up a breeding plant
there, seems to have been a mistake. 1t
probably arose through the fact thar
when Bob Browley Tetired Rex Leader
Florence G. The Dean, and other horses
owned by Mr.. McDermott for the season.
he sent them to Notchcliff TO be wintered
and that Finch on several occasions was
entered in races in the name OF that
farm NotchcIfff is ovVnad h. w ~