Hermis (KY)

Biography

Hermis wasn’t the precocious type on the racetrack, but when he finally put all the pieces to the puzzle together he became one of the most accomplished American thoroughbreds of the early 20^th century.

Bred in Kentucky by H. A. Engman, Hermis (Hermence—Katy of the West, by Spendthrift) raced from 1901 through 1905, finishing his distinguished career with a record of 29-8-6 from 55 starts and earnings of $84,135. He was retrospectively recognized by The BloodHorse book The Great Ones as Horse of the Year in 1902 and 1903; Champion 3-Year-Old Male in 1902; and Champion Older Male in 1903 and 1904.

Those accomplishments would have been difficult to imagine after Hermis concluded his juvenile season of 1901 with only four wins in 13 starts, none of them in a race worth more than $400. Although sturdy in build, Hermis was barely 15.3 hands and commonly referred to as “the little red horse.” Dismissed as a common runner early in his career, Hermis needed five attempts to break his maiden. He finally broke into the win column with Hall of Fame jockey Jimmy Winkfield in the irons at Hawthorne Race Course on Aug. 30, 1901, earning a three-length victory at 5½ furlongs. 

Hermis, however, emerged as a standout during his sophomore campaign. Trained for much of his 3-year-old season by Jack McCormick (Hermis had several owners and trainers throughout his career), the deep red chestnut colt won his final nine races of the year. The streak began with a pair of allowance wins at Brighton Beach and another at Saratoga Race Course for owner Henry Ziegler and trainer Charles Hughes. Hermis was then sold for $15,000 to Louis Bell, who turned the horse over to conditioner McCormick. Hermis began to thrive. In his first start for new owner Bell, Hermis earned a thrilling victory over Gold Cure in the 1902 Travers Stakes at Saratoga to stretch his win streak to four.  

“The historic Travers Stakes, one of the oldest classic races of the American turf, was won by the 9-10 odds-on favorite Hermis, after a most sensational struggle,” reported the New York Times. “Hermis, after being interfered with early in the race, came with a great rush in the last few strides and won at the post by a head.”

Hermis continued to roll throughout the summer and fall, following his Travers victory with wins in the Saranac Handicap (equaling Saratoga’s track record of 1:51⅖ for 1⅛ miles), First Special, Ocean View, Jerome Handicap, and Mamaroneck Handicap. Hermis concluded his campaign with a record of 10-1-2 from 14 starts and earnings of $24,365.

After an extended break, Hermis began his 4-year-old season in June 1903. He returned to the races with a new owner (Edward R. Thomas, a banker who in May 1903 paid a record $60,000 for the horse) and trainer (Alexander Shields, who later became the horse’s owner). Winless in his first five starts of the year, Hermis baffled his new connections, only placing once and seeming disinterested.

Whatever the problem was, it was quickly resolved. Hermis returned to top form, winning nine of his remaining 13 starts that year. He defeated Molly Brant in a handicap at Saratoga, beat Irish Lad in the Merchants’ and Citizens’ Handicap, won the Ocean Handicap (carrying 127 and defeating Molly Brant), carried 134 pounds to victory in a handicap at Gravesend, and won both the Brighton Cup (at 2¼ miles) and Edgemere Handicap (setting Aqueduct’s track record of 1:53 for nine furlongs).

As a 5-year-old in 1904, Hermis won the Brookdale Handicap (defeating Belmont Stakes winner Africander), Suburban Handicap (defeating Irish Lad and Africander), and Test Handicap. In the Test at Brighton Beach on July 6, he equaled the track record of 1:38 for one mile while carrying high weight of 133 and defeating Hall of Famer Beldame, who caried 115. In arguably the greatest performance of his career, Hermis won by a length and just missed a world record.

“When Hermis broke first and went out with a lightning burst of speed from the lifting of the barrier, a tremendous cheer went up from the spectators,” the New York Times reported. “Through the entire running of the race, the tumult of applause grew louder, culminating in an uproar that rivaled summer thunder when Hermis shot past the winning post, ridden out, a bare length before the stout Beldame. … The time fell a fraction of a second behind the world’s record … but the performance, nevertheless, takes precedence as a track record, as Hermis equaled the time made by Voter, holder of the older mark, made as a 6-year-old, with 122 pounds.”

Returning at 6 in 1905 after recovering from a tendon injury, Hermis was sent to Brighton Beach in July and won two races there in four days, including the Islip Handicap under 132 pounds. Twelve days later, he attempted to repeat in the Test Handicap but was bumped badly in a rough race and finished fifth. Hermis was then retired.

Overall, he won 14 stakes, earned victories at eight tracks (Aqueduct, Brighton Beach, Gravesend, Hawthorne, Latonia, Morris Park, Saratoga, Sheepshead Bay), and carried 132 pounds or more in four of his wins. Hermis was a disappointment at stud, siring only two stakes winners in America. He was exported to France in 1910. Two years later, he was bought by Edmond Blanc for his Haras de Jardy, but a year later he was sent to Belgium. What became of Hermis after that is a mystery, as all knowledge of the horse’s whereabouts were lost during World War I.