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Dan Patch Days History

Picture
Harold Savage in the Dan Patch Days Parade 1953
Before Secretariat, Seattle Slew or War Emblem there was Dan Patch. The only horse in racing history to break the two-minute barrier 35 times, Dan Patch startled the world with a record-breaking one mile pace of 1:55 minutes on September 8, 1906 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Apart from his physical prowess, Dan Patch was a crowd pleaser and a hero to kids across America as popular as Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. Dan Patch lived and trained in an elaborate horse stable built on the southern banks of the Minnesota River by his owner, M.W. Savage, a prominent Minneapolis businessman.

When Dan Patch died in 1916, Savage died 32 hours later, an untimely death said to be caused by a broken heart.  The local community was so fascinated with the fairy-tale story of Dan Patch and his owner that they decided to rename their city Savage. Over 100 years later, the city of Savage continues to celebrate the horses great legacy with Dan Patch Days.

Here is specific information from past years (coming soon)

1953

1958

1963

1968

1973

2000

2005

2010

​2015

2020

2025
1954

1959

1964

1969

1973

​2001


2006

2011

​​2016

​
2021

1973
1955

1960

1965

1970

1974

2002



2007


2012

2017

​
2022

1973
1956

1961

1966

1971

1975

2003



2008


2013

​2018

​
2023

1973
1957

1962

1967

1972

1976

2004



2009


2014

​2019

​
2024

1973
.....this is a work in progress....thanks for taking the time to view it.
This page would not have been possible if it wasn't for the information gathered by the Dan Patch Historical Society.  Especially for Jens Bohn, a past President of the DPHS.  Pieces of history disappear, and before you even realize it, they are gone.  With Jens' help and his collection of Dan Patch memorabilia, these pages are possible.  Thanks Jens!
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