Saturday, October 16, 2010

Fastest Stallions in the World - Dan Patch, George Gano and Minor Heir


Music composer, Meredith Wilson, once enshrined the fastest horse in the world at the time in the musical, The Music Man. Trotter Dan Patch who shattered the two minute mile is featured in the song - Ya Got Trouble. See video here:

"And the next thing you know your son is playin'
For money in a pinchback suit
And listenin' to some big out-o'-town jasper
Hearin' him tell about horserace gamblin'
Not a wholesome trottin' race, no
But a race where they set down right on the horse
Like to see some stuck up jockey boy settin' on Dan Patch?
Make your blood boil, well I should say..."
Lyrics and Music composed by Meredith Wilson, (C) MPL Communications.

At an auction in Norway, Iowa where nothing but antiques poured out the small home's door, a framed, dusty print of three horses emerged and was purchased by the 42N team. The print, Fastest Stallions in the World, from the M.W. Savage Art Department featured (left to right) Dan Patch 1:55, George Gano 2:02 and Minor Heir 1:58.5. Marion Willis Savage owned Dan Patch and built an empire around the horse. Today the city of Savage, Minnesota, where M. W. Savage built an expansive training facility, celebrates the great horse with Dan Patch Days held annually in mid-June.

The current movie, Secretariat, features the triple crown winner. In his day, Dan Patch was also widely known and later remembered in advertising wares like this print (above), watches, paper weights and many other things - another example of mass marketing in the early days. These items remain highly collectible even 94 years after Dan Patch's death in 1916. Know that.

10 comments:

  1. I have a vintage print of Dan Patch ,George Gano, and minor heir with a wooden back.
    leeanntrain@ymail.com

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    Replies
    1. timothy.gano@gmail.comAugust 18, 2012 at 8:13 AM

      maybe you would sell it ?

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    2. Is it a full body picture or just their heads?

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    3. I have this picture in it's entirety showing names of horses , race times and signature of painter, painting is in very good condition in a very old antique frame. Because we are moving we have decided to sell the painting. David Pollock, can be reached at djp86@yahoo.com. Located in Ohio

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  2. I also have a print of the three stallions just like the one above.
    I am told that this print has been in my family for more than eighty years.
    It has been treated and professionally framed, very proud of this print.

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  3. I also have this print, I just found it in our house as we were moving. Is there any value in it? It is in the original frame.

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    Replies
    1. This print comes up on eBay every so often. Check there for current values. Also check around Savage, Minnesota just south of Minneapolis. They have a large collection of Dan Patch items as the stable was located there. Some say the mighty Dan Patch is buried on the former racetrack property.

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  4. I have this picture with the names, times and artist in full view. Picture in very good condtion in a very old frame, I was thinking about selling it.

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  5. I have this picture along with some other racehorse paintings and prints. Because we are moving I'm considering selling the painting, Picture is in entire view with names, race times, names of horses and the painters signature. Please reply to David Pollock, djp86@yahoo.com

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  6. I bought this piece at a yard sale for $10 about a month ago. It has a note "for John, March 10, 1910 on the back very old wood backing

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