The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-03
HORSE IS RETIRED
John R. Gentry, Wichita Horse,
on Hartman Estate.
Incompatible Champion PAGER
Is "a Years Old.

Wichita, Kan, January 3.-John r.
Gentry, the incompatible champion
PAGER. winner of the only blue ribbon
ever offered at the Madison Square
Garden show for light harness horse
and road horse of perfect manners,
now. like Alexander, with no more
worlds to conquer. is back in sunny
Tennessee to spend the evening of his
life in peace.
Back at Cumberland park, the scene
of his famous victory over Robert J.
on October g. 1897, but the wild cla-
NOR of the 10000 voices who cheered
him to victory is stilled.
Mr.. Rensselaer, Weston, secretary of
'.the historic track at Goshen, N Y.
purchased the Gentry horse in 1898 for
the late E. H. Hartman. Both Mr.
Weston and Mr.. Hartman always en-
tertained a strong aversion to PAGERS
in general, but an animal like John
r. Gentry makes his appearance but
about once in a century.
Gentry Is "a Years Old.
Nature has blessed Tennessee with
climatic conditions wonderfully adapt
ed to horses, and it was the late George
Campbell Brown of Spring HILL Tenn, |
who persuaded Mr.. Weston to take the
famous Gentry to DiXieland. Having /
won on the turf fabulous sums during /
his career, it is but fitting that in his |
declining years he should be surround |
ed with every comfort and even lux |
ury the Hartman estate can provide /
Mr.. Weston and James Thomas, train |
er of the Hartman stable, idolize the |
grand old horse and humor every whim
and caprice of his equine highness.
The story of John r. Gentry, like the |
story of love, will never grow old to
followers of the turf.
Sired by Ashland Wilkes, a Ken
lucky horse he was foaled in 1899 at 4
Wichita n q TOlor. the dam Il
being mate from New Jersey named Il
Dame Wood. Gentry was registered as
a trotter. but trained as a PAGER. He
showed so little of promise a colt
that he was allowed to run wild on the
plains. The story of the discovery of
his remarkable speed, known to every Il
horseman in the country, reads like a
fairy tale.
Defeated Joe Patchen.
Racing through 1892, John R. Gentry
was undefeated, did not, start at all the
next year and in "a and '95 had ar
chain of victories to his
credit. 1t was in the latter year that
Gentry three times went against the
great Joe Patchen and each time was
returned a winner. At Glens Falls in
1896 he was forced to set a worlds
record of 2:O115 to win over Star
Pointer. and in the same year at Port
land, Me, in an exhibition against time,
John r. clipped a full second from
the world record. III
Four of the greatest horses of all
J., Frank Agan. Joe
Patchen and Gentry-met at Boston on
August %, 1896, and John f. could do
no better than second. In September
Of that same year John r. Gentry
was first over field composed of Star
Pointer, Robert J. and Frank Agan.
During 1897 few could be found
who dared race against this great horse
hat he cOmDpllnd 10 give exhihi- ~
ions, but after Mr.. Hartman came
nto possession of him a race was ar
'anged at Rochester, n. Y. betwee- b
Gentry, Joe Patchen and Searchlight,
md again John r. was first to pass
he judges stand.
His last public appearance came at
lima, Ohio, on a half-mile track, where
John r. against Joe Patchen estab-
ished the present worlds record of
':042t.