In the pacing gait the horse moves its legs laterally, the right front and right hind hitting the ground together and then left front and left hind. Trotters move their legs in diagonal pairs, right front and left hind and then left front and right hind.
Sleepy Tom was born in the Old Tavern Stables in Bellbrook on June 22, 1868. His dam was 20-year-old, Old Wetchie, and his sire was Tom Rolf, son of Old Pocahontas.
Unfortunately, the horse was mistreated in his youth. One owner ran him in several local nag racing events which were similar to car drag races. Sleepy Tom was once driven into the river to cool off when he was so hot he was lather covered. The abrupt change in temperature hurt his health.
Isaac Dingler bought Sleepy Tom around 1871. His son, Charley Dingler, trained the horse to race.
In 1874, when Dingler was training the horse, he discovered Sleepy Tom was going blind. This was due perhaps to the hard driving to which he had been subjected or a cold which settled in his eyes.
The horse was sold and went through a series of owners, some who also mistreated him.
Finally, in 1878, Stephen C. Phillips was able to buy the horse he had watched for some time. He paid $7.50 and a jug of whiskey. Sleepy Tom was completely blind by this time. Phillips trained Sleepy Tom more extensively and entered him in races in 1878. Phillips drove the horse himself. They won mostly at fairs.
In 1879 the pair entered more challenging races and won in Jackson, Michigan and East Saginaw, Michigan. Next came wins in Cincinnati, Louisville, and Columbus. Then the world record was made in the Chicago race.
Phillips sold the successful but blind Sleepy Tom to Joe Udell for $6,000.
In 1880-1882 the pacer won a few good races. He was retired soon afterward, but died in a barn fire.
Dwight Akers wrote a fictional book about Sleepy Tom.
It is difficult to separate fact from fiction in Sleepy Tom’s story. Various sources give different birth dates for him, different prices paid, both when Phillips bought and sold the pacer, and different places are named where the barn fire happened. Whatever the true facts are, it is certain he was a remarkable horse.
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