Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-01-23
MINOR HEIR EXPECTED
TO LOWER PACING RECORD
Star Pointers 1859 IA Will Be Marx
For Savage's New Purchase.


Minor Heir now becomes the stable
companion of Dan Patch, 1.55 IA, the
worlds champion PAGER. After Dan
became the property of Mr.. Savage
which was in 1902-that gentleman
never allowed the stallion to appear in
race. but it has now been announced
that these two pacing ma-vels will
appear against each other in exhibit
ton races during the coming summer.
1t will be a wonder if Minor Heir
does not do something towards the
lowering of the worlds technical un-
paced records for PAGERS, 1.59 IA.
1t was in August. 1897, that Star
Pointer set this record at Readville,
Mass. After him no PAGER crossed the
two-minute line until 1902, when Dan
Patch did so. The history of Dams
struggles to beat 1.59 IA, and how he
did and didn't do so is full of curious
interest. In 1902, the year that he
attained two-minute honors, after TAX
ing a record of 1853 12 at Providence,
Dan was started to beat it at Readville
and, if possible. to beat 1.59 IA as
well. He paced his mile in 1.59 IA,
exactly, but by mistake he had been
programmed as attempting to beat
1.59. not 1859 IA. Hence, under the
teehnical rules governing records
made against time, his performance
was losing. not a winning one, and
he got no official credit for it.
The next year the front pacemaker
and the wind shield came in, and be-
hind a runner-he can follow one as
no other horse has ever shown the
ability to-Dan cut his record by
gradual reductions to 1.56 IA The
next year he cut this to 1.56 and the
next to 1.55 Ia. The men who con-
troll the official trotting organizations
ruled out the front pacemaker, and
further, that horse that had taken
record behind a runner could not
thereafter make one '1n the OPEN
unless ne Cor she) beat his Cor herr
record made previously in the prohibit
ed way.
This placed Dan Patch in a predica-
ment 1t was made a physical impos-
sibility for Dan to get new record
of any sort. He couldn't beat 1.55 IA
in the open, and on account of his
1.55 Ia record not made that way. if
he went to beat his fashioned rec
ord of 1.59 1-2 and Star Pointers
1.59 IA, and did so this would still be
not a technical record.
Mr.. Savage, however showed Dams
greatness by sending the champion to
Memphis, where he paced in 1.5S in the
open, but got no credit for it.
And SO Star Pointers record still
stands. But if Minor Heir stays sound
and well and improves even the least
bit in the world, it won't be standing
a year from now. Harry Hersey, who
will train him from now on, is an
expert in training a PAGER to go
against the watch. and driving one as
well. He is at least fifty pounds
lighter than Dean, also, and II all goes
well will go mile some time during
1909 that viii relegate 1853 IA to has
beenism, finally and forever.
Fer Dan Patch Mr.. Savage paid
$60,000-of which it is said, $4,000
was in cash-the same amount that he
has paid for Minor Heir. AS a payer
of record-breaking prices for record
breaking PAGERS, the Minneapolis man
certainly has no rivals. So far as is
reliably known. nobody else ever paid
half as much for any PAGER as he did
for either of these