New-York tribune., 1918-05-26
EXternlnatOr
Is Defeated in
United Hunts
American Officer Wins In
ternational Military
Steeplechase
By ]. S. Mitchell

The defeat of Exterminator, the great
three -year-old winner of the Kentucky
Derby, and the International Military
Steeplechase were the outstanding feat
ures of the United Hunts spring meet
at the Belmont Park Terminal yester-
day.
Six horses went to the post in the
lightweight handicap Of one mile on the
grass. After an appropriate lineup to
flag start the neld got away, with
kits II in the van. He paced along in
the hollow at a cracking pace. Round
ing the bend into the long stretch for
home Heating, on Square Dealer, put in
feeler and raced up to the leader, but
kits stalled off the challenge and drew
out again we'll clear of the field.
All this time Exterminator was strid-
ing along in third place, but once they
Strengthened for home Knapp, on the
Kentucky hero, shook him uD q bit and
shot by Square Dealer. At every stride
the onlookers expected to see the Der
by winner shoot into the lead and
breeze past the plucky kits, but there
was nothing doing.
Both jockeys were riding hard. and
about a hundred yards from the post
they unloosed their whalebones and
with whistling cuts drove for the finish.
Exterminator responded, like the game
racer he appears to be, and inch by
inch he began to overhaul his rival, but
he had not quite legs enough to poke
his nose in front ere the pair shot by
the white post.
Camp Devens Rider Wins
Seven riders stripped for the Inter
national Military lightweight Handi-
cap, the most extensively touted can
didate being Lieutenant Mallet, of the
French cavalry, who had the mount on
Archdale, an aged bay. owned by Nor
ton L. Schwart All the riders took the
Frenchman being arrayed in a deep
blue. Lieutenant Colonel Jamson rep
resented the British army. His mount
was an imported horse named Jack
Mount
The Brook, an imported five-year-old
owned by Mrs. T. ]. Donohue, carried
Lieut.. Stevenson from Camp Devens,
Mass, and the American officer proved
too much for his opponents, for all
over the mile and half route he had
the race we'll in hand and won as he
pleased.
An unpleasant muddle arose out of
placing the horses at the finish of the
Great United Hunts Steeplechase. The
finding of the judicial department was
that an aged gelding named Skibbereen
won from Brooks by short head, or
as one of the judges put in afterwardj
when questioned, that Skibbereen "just
nodded in
As the press box happened to be at
the winning post the turf experts"
had an opportunity to scrutinize the
finish. The unanimous verdict of the
scribes was that Brooks won by half q
length with Skibbereen in second place.
There was no appeal from the decision,
snd as the judges stood to their guns
when the question was raised by the
critics, the incident closed then and
there. Not few onlookers who were
in the press box disagreed with the |
placing of the judges, but neither the
pressmen nor the outsiders for mo-
ment intimated that the mistake was (
Intentional.
Harwood II Pays 10 to
To the racegoers out for a soft thing
the real chance of the day came in the ,
South Shore fiat race Of six and hall
furlongs when Harwood II, 10-to-1 |
shot, led the field of nine past the post
He had very few admirers and, wltl
the exception Of those rare souls who
are forever on the lookout for kill
ing, he carried little money.
The seventh race, the closing event
of the day, bearing the official title OF
The Hamptons on the card, produced
q remarkable chapter of accidents.
Seven horses started and when about
half Of the, two miles had been left
behind four of the seven came down
in heap over one of the jumps. For
9 few moments there was nothing but
mass Of kicking legs and winding
arms rolling around on the sward, but
luckily no bones were broken.
slashing mare named Louvois, owned
by ]. E. Widener, started favorite and
from first to last nothing in the race
had the slightest chance with her
Sne won in a common canter. With
three substantial wins to his credit
Widener carried off the cream of the
meet.