The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-12-13
GENIRYCOMESBACK
TO SUNNY TENNESSEE
TO WAIT LAST TAPS
ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST IA
NOUS RACE HORSES BROUGHT
IN PRIVATE CAR.
HAS MONEY and SERVANTS

Something About the Races He Hal
Won and the Plans for His Burial
Belongs to Hartman Estate, TWEEN
ty-Four Years Old.
Laura Norvell Elliott has written .
story of the coming Of the famous
John R. Gentry to Tennessee, which
will be OF interest to every lover Of
horse flesh in Maury county. This
horse was for many years located al
Spring Hill and many Maury coun
tians know the horse individually
Her story follows:
! He has come back to Tennessee tt
die-that old veteran Of the race
4 track, John r. Gentry. Back to the
warmer cline which, 1t is hoped, will
prolong his life and make his remain
ing years happy ones. For, after all
there is no paradise beyond for hors
es and unless they get bit of Gods
sunshine right here and now-their
life story Is mighty sorry affair.
| John R. Gentry is only horse, but
70 famous is he among the horsemen
of the yorld that during the twenty.
four years Of his existence he has
had his biography written as often
as Patti or Melba or Roosevelt. In
fact, the well-groomed beauty Of a
horse is 30 famous that now he Is on
the home stretch of the last race he
will ever run. he is being cared for
with more tenderness and thought
than Is often accorded human being
in their declining years.
/ mo. indeed" Mrs. Hartman said
! when approached on the subject by an
eager horseman. why we would no
more think of parting with John X.
than we would with a member Of the
family. He is getting too old for the
race track. but he shall spend the
. remaining years Of his life in peace
and as much happiness as can be &C
corded horse"
Therefore the famous racer has
has been cared for most thoughtful
ly, and not long ago It was decided
that he should be sent South for hts
remaining days. Nashville was Sc
lected as his Mecca and to Nashville
he came in all the luxury Of a private
car and with several attendants. He
is now installed comfortably at Cum
beraland park. An expert horseman,
James Thomas, is in charge Of his
welfare and two stable men brush
him down several times a day, see
that his food is properly prepared and
that he 10 given daily run when the
weather permits, around the track.
Aside from these regular attend
ants. r. Weston, one Of the most "a
nous horsemen in America, Is now in
Nashville for the express purpose Of
seeing that John R. Gentry is fitted
out with every comfort for the win
ter. Mr.. Weston is stopping at the
Hermitage, but he spends . good deal
OF his time at Cumberland park. He
has goodly fund of horse stories on
hand, all of which are breezy and de-
'ilghtful-but his chief interest just
now centers in the horse he has come
to look after You see he and John
R. Gentry were friends when John R.
was in his prime. Mr.. Weston stood
through many race putting all he
had on his favorite, and horsemen all
over the country we're stalking their
all on the same black, housekeeping,
swift-pacing. 1.-THE animal. And John
r. with his head well up and his face
set toward the goal, never failed
them.
Twenty years ago John r. Gentry
took the worlds pacing record in
2:O4. That was great day and from
then on he became a center OF inter-
est to the men who followed the race
track all over the world. Later in
1896, he again took the worlds rec
ord in 2:00h. That was another
eventful day in his career when he
stood paving the wound with thous-
ands of excited men and women wav-
ing their handkerchiefs and hats, and
al Grazing their necks for peep at
the proud animal.
John r. Gentry is the sire of more
turf winners than any living pacing
sire. Sixty-four sons and daughters
Of the famous horse have proudly
faced the judges stand, quivering
from the race while bits of blue rib
bon were pinned to their harness. So
John R. Gentry is not only famous
for the races he himself has won, but,
as the sire of these sixty-four other
winners, he is equally as well known.
Mr.. Weston is as proud of John r.
as It is possible to be and, like horse-