Wesley United Methodist Church

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Dan Patch was bred in Indiana by a country storekeeper named Dan Messner, Jr. The light bay colt was foaled in 1897, sired by the noted Joe Patchen and a $225 mare. Dan Patch first raced on August 30, 1900, when he lost only one heat. In 1901, he was on the Grand Circuit, and caught the eye of a sportsman from Buffalo, New York, named M. E. Sturgis, who bought him for $20,000. Driven by Myron McHenry, a famous driver of the day, Dan Patch created a brilliant record losing only two heats in 56 starts by July 1902. There have been many books written about Dan Patch, as well as many movies.  However, Dan Patch's association with Wesley began with M. W. Savage.

Marion Willis Savage, who wore a long coat much like a parson's coat, went to a number of race tracks timing various horses.  The people around the horse barns and tracks nicknamed him the Parson.  After timing Dan Patch, the Parson was determined to own him, which is a story in itself.  However, suffice to say, Mr. Savage purchased Dan Patch for $60,000 in December, 1902. Savage owned the International Stock Food Company of Minneapolis, and was a genius at promotion. He kept Dan Patch's name in the public's eye constantly. Endorsements of International Stock Food Company products by Dan Patch, the use of Dan Patch's name on other products, exhibition races, and barnstorming made Savage millions.

Savage, a prominent member of Wesley, restricted Dan Patch's schedule to public exhibitions, in which the big pacer would pit his speed against the clock. Savage pledged substantial earnings of his beloved Dan Patch to the Wesley Church, and it was soon decided by the pastor and trustees that Dan should have his own numbered envelopes, thereby making him just like a member of Wesley Church—the only time a horse has ever been a member of the Methodist Church.

While the issue of Dan Patch's actual membership has been disputed, the story is told that Savage was once asked to schedule Dan Patch to run on a Sunday.  However, according to The Dan Patch Story by Fred Sasse (c. 1957, page 92) Savage refused, responding "Dan's a Methodist now and there'll be no [race] Sunday!"

Dan Patch had become a local and national celebrity. There was Dan Patch smoking and chewing tobacco, a Dan Patch washing machine, even a dance named the Dan Patch Two Step. Locally in what is now St.Paul, there is a street named for him where, on September 8, 1906, he startled the world by pacing the mile at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in the record breaking time of 1:55 minutes.

Dan Patch had his own private railway car to travel in, and at home he lived in a huge barn that was so grand it was called the Taj Mahal. The farm that Savage owned was so vast, that it later became the town of Savage, Minnesota.

Mr. Savage had truly cherished his champion pacer. Dan Patch died on July 11, 1916, and the next day he was followed by his owner.

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