The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-13
STATIONS IN BATTLE.
Both High Bred Racers and the Scene
a TfainiRg Track.

| Ramapo Would Go Down and Cactus
Roll Over Him-Both Animals Badly
Hurt.
The MORNING News republished on
| Thursday, from the New York Tribune,
| the essential details of a terrific battle
/ between two blooded stations at Holmdel
! Farm, n. J. The description of the fight
| printed by the New York Sun shows it to
have been an exceptionally fierce and ex-
citing contest; so much SO that the ex-
| tended details are worth repeating. The
| Sun says: The fighters were Ramapo
and Cactus, both well known to the turf,
particularly the former, who ran in fine
! form last season. Both are 4-year-olds.
Ramapo is a chestnut and Cactus a bay.
Trainer Hyland had ordered them out. TO-
! gether with a number of other horses, for
| turn around the training track, and they
had just finished the circuit of the track,
which is seven-eighths of a mile, when
the trouble occurred. Ramapo, who was
ridden by George Reed, an exercise boy,
was a few yards ahead of Cactus at the
| finish. Johnny Thompson, the eXer-
ciser who was on Cactus, had
been urging him all the way around.
which perhaps reused the horses
| temper a little, for ne is not only lazy,
! but at times is ill-tempered as well.
| Moreover, the constant urging of the
| horse had tired out the boy, who had
! been ailing with chills and fever, and
when he reached the finish he was
| thoroughly exhausted.
| From the judges stand about 100 yards
away, Dave Gideon and Pincus were
! watching the runners and Trainer Hy-
land stood on the track below them. AS
the horses reached the finishing post Hy-
land said to Pincus:
What did yoH rake the tifHe}n
Il did not time them, - returned Pincus,
81 didn't think they were running for
| time"
Then he looked down the track and
cried: why, the boy is OF Cactus. He's
loose"
Gideon and Hyland saw it at the same
moment. They knew that loose high
bred stallion was apt to be dangerous.
| Down beyond the judges stand the other
boys had seen the accident, too, and, &C
| cording to an pnvarying rule, when
horse gets loose, had backed their mounts
in line up against the fence, so that
| should the free stallion come there he
| could not get in behind them. Then all
| turned their eyes down the course TO
| where the two racers were. The fight
| w 40 al 0tihJ OAA, iOA NJdCbuS was NlGlOuS,
and almost on the instant of finding him
self free he had sprang upon Bamapo,
| What had happened was this: Thompson,
the rider of Cactus, weak from his illness
and tired out by the ride around the
| course, had fallen off almost from sheer
exhaustion. Seeing Cactus start forward
he shouted to Reed Look out, George
he's after you, ~ and as Reed turned he
saw the horses head at his side.
Cactus, without a sound Of warning,
seized Ramapo by the name, and his teeth
| slipping caught and snapped the bride.
| The chestnut went to his knees but re-
| covered and plunged forward as his assail-
1 ant bit at him again, this time selling him
| by the flank. Ramapo is a lighter horse
than Cactus, and came heavily to the
ground Just as his rider eaped off. Re-
| lieved of this handicap the chestnut got
| TO his feet and started back over the
track. He was not looking for fight.
! But Cactus was wild with fighting fury
| No sooner did Ramapo start toward the
stand, with an instinct, perhaps, that he
would find protection there, than his op-
ponent was after him. Ply
Before ten yards had been covered they
| were together again. The smaller horse,
acting upon the defensive, half turned to
meet the attack, just as the, pursuer
reared upon him. With crushing force
the bay brought his metal-shod hoofs
| down upon Ramapo's flank, bringing him
| heavily TO the ground So great was the
impetus of the charge that Cactus went
rolling over the other, landing on mis- back
in the roadway. Twisting around he
| snapped savagely at the chestnut, but the
| latter was now alive to the necessity of
active defence, and fastening his teeth In
| Cactus bride he tore it off. A terrible
| duel of teeth and hoofs followed, both
horses sprawiing in the dust The
| sound Of the HEATING hnOfz "a fhau 1oD cd
repeatedly with crushing impact could be
heard plainly by the men at the stand,
| 100 yards away. 1t seemed impossible to
them that either horse should ever get TO
his feet again.
Both exercise boys had fed from the
| track in alarm at the beginning, Reed
| had made grasp at Ramapo's bride,
| but ikwas in pieces, and it came off in his
| grasp. The boys were now watching
from the enclosure within the track.
! With amazement they saw Ramapo get on
his feet and go down the track, closely
pursued by the other stallion, Cactus
was gaining rapidly, when Ramapo
turned upon him. With a shock they
came together again. There was
moment of fierce fighting, then the chest
nut dropped, as If he were prize fighter
trying to avoid punishment, aud again
the bay wentover him in a complete SOM
| ersault. How he escaped breaking his
neck the spectators cannot understand.
1t was only for a second that they were
| down this time Cactus was up first. He
leaped at the chestnut, who was on his
launches and stood the onset bravely.
! The attacking horse drew back for
moment, and before he coald charge
again, Ramapo was up and speeding down
| the track.
The pursuit lasted but moment,
Forced 10 turn again. the fugitive reared,
and there was another terrific collision.
both horses going down. This time
! Cactus lay quiet for moment
| He's done for himself at last" cried
DAILY to the trainer. mo; he's up again.
| Evidently the vicious beast had been
stunned momentarily; but only momen-
tarily- He was up again and aafter Ram
| apo who had improved this opportunity
! by covering half of the remaining dis
lance to the stand before the bay caught
! up to him. Again the smaller horse
! dropped, after the first attack, and again
the assailant whirled over him. 1t seemed
! impossible that any horse could stand
! those terrific somersaults, but the bay
seemed made of rubber. On rising he in
stantly turned upon the other, driving his
teeth into his body. Ramapo was game
now, and bit and kicked furiously, with
out effort to escape. Both had risen at
the same time, and the duel became run