Dan Patch the 1900s superstar and his owner

I stumbled across this You Tube video today...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlsEtqMgOLI#

It is amazing what money can buy - this guy has an 800m (half mile) INDOOR training track! Wouldn't that be nice in Qld at the moment!!

And to put Dan Patch in perspective - Meadowskipper also went 1:55, but 60 years later!! He was well and truly a horse before his time :)

Hey Red
I was the winner of the forums first competition and the prize was a selection of wonderful books on Harness Racing. One of the books was "Crazy Good" The story of Dan Patch, written by Charles Leerhsen. Amazing read. He was born crippled and unable to stand and was very nearly put down. Later in life he pulled the grocery wagon in Indiana. He was entered into a county fair race and won - then just kept on winning. He really became the first American sports star as his name appeared on sleds, breakfast cereals, washing machines, cigars and razors. Although Dan Patch never lost a race some of his races were 'rigged' as large sums of money changed hands. But the horses life is one truly amazing story and well worth the read.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Corleone

Hey Red
I was the winner of the forums first competition and the prize was a selection of wonderful books on Harness Racing. One of the books was "Crazy Good" The story of Dan Patch, written by Charles Leerhsen. Amazing read. He was born crippled and unable to stand and was very nearly put down. Later in life he pulled the grocery wagon in Indiana. He was entered into a county fair race and won - then just kept on winning. He really became the first American sports star as his name appeared on sleds, breakfast cereals, washing machines, cigars and razors. Although Dan Patch never lost a race some of his races were 'rigged' as large sums of money changed hands. But the horses life is one truly amazing story and well worth the read.

I would love to read that book. :)

But I have to ask - if some of the races were "rigged" - honestly what other horse could run 1:55 back then (early 1900s?) 1:55 was a good time for the 1960s! Maybe the distances could have been shorter than a mile, but that horse was a freak - surely there couldn't have been another one at the same time? :)

He was a great horse Flashing. I believe the 1:55 he went was following right in behind a pacemaker with some kind of a windshield type device in place somewhere to cut the air. I've never seen a picture of it but I am pretty sure that was how it was done.

He paced a mile in 1:55 a number of times, there is a video supposeably of one of the times he did it on You Tube, I watched it. He had several pacemakers, all galloping, however none were in front of him...?

I read it somewhere but maybe I'm having a brain fade about the name of the horse involved Flashing? Early onset Dementia. It might well have been Greyhound or Billy Direct ? Whichever one it was, I'm pretty sure one of those early speed marks was taken whilst rolling behind some kind of a windshield/deflector device...with said device being subsequently and immediately banned for the purposes of TT's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Corleone

Hey Red
I was the winner of the forums first competition and the prize was a selection of wonderful books on Harness Racing. One of the books was "Crazy Good" The story of Dan Patch, written by Charles Leerhsen. Amazing read. He was born crippled and unable to stand and was very nearly put down. Later in life he pulled the grocery wagon in Indiana. He was entered into a county fair race and won - then just kept on winning. He really became the first American sports star as his name appeared on sleds, breakfast cereals, washing machines, cigars and razors. Although Dan Patch never lost a race some of his races were 'rigged' as large sums of money changed hands. But the horses life is one truly amazing story and well worth the read.

Glad they arrived, I was a little worried they wouldn't since we had to order them from the States. Good to know your enjoying them. :)

This is awesome, not to good for my blood pressure though.
Watch the ending, I have been in the same situation plenty of times and have never tried this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrTfG...eature=related

I've always wanted to drive a good trotter. Watching the breeders crown trot races - those things are smoother than our best pacers... it's breathtaking to watch!!

Hi Flashing Red,
I agree they are really cool to watch, people new to harness racing seem to have a better/quicker acceptance of trotters.IMOA