New-York tribune., 1903-06-13
HERMIS BEATEN AGAIN.
IN II THREE HORSE RACE
Champ pion's ColorS Lo5cered by
Peru Belmont's RiCer Pirate.

E. R Thomas's s600 HeTmis was defeated for
the second time this spring at Gravesend yesterday
in a race for beaten horses. at d mile and six
feenth by Perry Belmont's three-year-old colt
River Pirate, whom he met at even weights under
the scale. The Lamplighter FLY Stamping Ground
owned by ]. Dunbar. the only other con-
tesant in the race and as-fter the first sixteenth
she never came within the field of vision of an
ordinary pair field glasses her part in the un-
doing of the champion wholly negative ana
can be dismissed without more comment After
the defeat of Hermis there were thousands quick
TO proclaim that in paying the highest price ever
given for a horse in training young Mr.. Thomas
had bought equine commodity closely resenl-
bling a gold brick This verdict may be little
severe-it is surely somewhat premature in the
light Of the colts invariable hardness in rounding
into racing forrn-but the fact remains that Her
miss performance yesterday was a keen shock to
his owner and dismal disappointment 10 his fol-
lowers
To be beaten by colt whose far this
spring have warranted the racing world in brand
ing him as a hound and a coward is in itself dis
couraginC and En- the light of the ambitious career
which his new owner has mapped out for him MS
race yesterday comes as 4 good deal or a lacer'
When Dublin. waterboy and Herbert defeated him
two weeks ago over the same distance OF ground
there was at least the apology 10 be made Tor MIN
that it was his first race of the year and tha1 ne
was short Of work. That excuse could not be MADE
yesterday, and Of the hundreds Of shrewd horsemen
who saw him go TO the post there were prooaoiy
not a half dozen who did not confidently expect to
see the colt redeem itself
On the other hand, and in justice to Herrnis and
River Pirate 1t must be said that the latter was
carrying far less weight than he has taken up in
any his previous contests this year, and that In
the sea of mud which confronted them yesterday
fifteen pounds-the amount Hermis gave his rival
was sufficient TO handicap in spite OF the
difference in age. According to the conditions both
colts had twenty pounds off, which made Hermis's
impost lOs and that of River Pirate 81 pounds
Stamping Ground carried S6 pounds. Originally
nine horses were entered TO against the cham
pion, but after night of uninterrupted rain all
except River Pirate and the Lamp1ighter FLY We're
withdrawn 10y their trainers. Rice had the mount
on Rermis. and his method Of handling the colt
was rather freely criticised. but it is doubtful
whether the trainer of River Pirate should not be
applauded for his scheme OF beating the favorite
rather than censuring the jockey; Callahan rode
the Belmont colt and as soon as ne could get MN
/ going he went out 10 make q hear'breaklng race
OF IL
DID NOT ACCEPT CHALLENGE.
Rice did not accept the very obvious challenge,
but. the contrary, almost choked his mount in
effort 10 keep him back Around the lower turn
and all through the backstretch Herrnis fought for
his head and with his mouth open. Rice did
not humor him, however. until well past the upper
Turn, and then, realizing that the leader was not
coming back 10 hlIn ne gave him his head and a
began hand riding him. River Pirate. as they
turned INTO tbs stretch was three lengths to the
his whip and from there to the wire piled it ener-
Her1nis got TO his rivals saddle girth, but there
he hung, and by that distance he was beaten under
the wire Stamping Ground a half dozen
lengths back and well OF il The fractional
time for the First eighth. 0:12 first
quarter o23 80; first half 0:47 3-5 mile, l:40 45
mile and sixteenth. l:47 Is. The price against
Hermis 10 and out, and the plungers, il is
reported. all lost heavily. Herms at present is
1agorite in the winter books for the Suburban. and
ii remains to be whether his defeat yesterday
viii affect his standing in the big handicap Many
good horssTnen Of the opinion that it would
require least three weeks mere TO get MIN really
up his form.
Although there was every prospect Of a moist and
unpleasant afternoon. il apparently had little af-
feet on the attendance. There were many with
drawals. however, and the task Of finding winners
was difficult in the mud that most the regulars
could with profit have remained at home Begin
ming with Mrs. Frank Far-elrs The Musketeer in
the first race, at about six furlongs, selling
platers, five favorites were beaten in succession.
The Hanover with selling conditions, for two-year-
ol6s, at five and one-half furlongs was the stake
race of the afternoon: 1t was won by R: w. Wal
den's black hily Luminosity. by Albert-Luninous
after Bath Beach the favorite had made mosT of
the pace Miss Nancy down in the stretch
and SO seriously injured that she could scarcely