In truth he icas a noble steed * * * 

 Who looked as though the speed of thought 

 IF ere in his limbs. 



— Lord Byron. 



M3 



DAN PATCH 



World's Champion Since 1903 

 Record 1:551/4 



AN PATCH 1:551/4 was before the public for ten 

 years and in that time paced many races and two- 

 minute miles making a clean sweep of his Grand 

 Circuit engagements and taking a record of l:59l/> in 1902 

 in the hands of the late M. E. McHenry. In 1903 he passed 

 from the ownership of the late M. E. Sturgis to that of the 

 late M. W. Savage, of Minneapolis, Minn., and was placed 

 in the hands of Mr. Harry Hersey, then a hard-working 

 trainer who had been quite successful with such material 

 as had up to that time come to hand. Mr. Hersey gave Dan 

 his best record and drove him so many exhibition miles 

 around, at and below two-minutes that he lost the count. In 

 the course of a recent interview given for publication in this 

 volume he talked most entertainingly, as was to be expected, 

 and his contribution cannot fail to furnish most interesting 

 reading. He said: 



"When Mr. Savage first spoke to me in regard to pur- 

 chasing Dan Patch I encouraged him. Though his banker 

 and other friends advised him to keep away from him, 

 he finally made the purchase and the horse proved to be a 

 veritable gold mine for him. 



"After he had made the deal I tried to induce him to 

 give the horse to some other trainer as I had had no ex- 

 perience with exhibition horses. He would not listen to me 

 so I decided that if he was game enough to give me the 



