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Hermit (horse)
Encyclopedia
Hermit was a 19th-century British
Thoroughbred
racehorse that was a direct descendant of Eclipse
. He won the 1867 Epsom Derby
, despite running in a snowstorm at 1000:15 odds with 10 false starts.
stallion that stood approximately 15.2½ hands high with a white blaze
. He was by the St. Leger winner and good sire, Newminster, his dam was the race winner, Seclusion by Tadmor. Hermit's sire and dam were both bleeders
and passed the condition on to Hermit. By contemporary accounts, Hermit was a good-natured horse with a gentle disposition.
He won the Epsom Derby and also won the St. James's Palace Stakes
as a three-year-old. The filly, Achievement defeated him in the St. Leger Stakes
and three other races. He often bled excessively through his nostril
after racing, but, despite his condition, he finished either first or second in 20 of his starts.
, and Friar's Balsam (1885), brilliant as a two-year old but plagued by mouth abscesses during and after the 2000 Guineas. Hermit's son, Ascetic, was the leading sire of Irish
steeple chasers
for almost 20 years. His son, St. Blaise
, won the Epsom Derby in 1883 and was shipped to Belmont Stud in the United States where he became the leading U.S. sire of 1890, siring Potomac.
He was the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
five times and his most notable female offspring were the classic-winning fillies:
Other notable daughters included Cinderella (dam of the American
racehorse, Peter Pan I
), Moorhen and Bella-Donna (dam of the American racemare, Beldame
).
Hermit died on 29 April 1890 at the age of 25 at the Blankney Stud in England.
Hermit's tail-male line is extinct, with the last descendant, 1922 Kentucky Derby
winner Morvich
dying in 1946.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse that was a direct descendant of Eclipse
Eclipse (horse)
Eclipse was an outstanding, undefeated 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse who was later a phenomenal success as a sire.-Breeding:...
. He won the 1867 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
, despite running in a snowstorm at 1000:15 odds with 10 false starts.
Breeding
Hermit was a chestnutChestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
stallion that stood approximately 15.2½ hands high with a white blaze
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
. He was by the St. Leger winner and good sire, Newminster, his dam was the race winner, Seclusion by Tadmor. Hermit's sire and dam were both bleeders
Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage
Exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage , also known as "bleeding" or a "bleeding attack", refers to the presence of blood in the airways of the lung in association with exercise. EIPH is common in horses undertaking intense exercise, but it has also been reported in human athletes, racing camels and...
and passed the condition on to Hermit. By contemporary accounts, Hermit was a good-natured horse with a gentle disposition.
He won the Epsom Derby and also won the St. James's Palace Stakes
St. James's Palace Stakes
The St. James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
as a three-year-old. The filly, Achievement defeated him in the St. Leger Stakes
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
and three other races. He often bled excessively through his nostril
Nostril
A nostril is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates, whose function is to warm air on inhalation and remove moisture on exhalation...
after racing, but, despite his condition, he finished either first or second in 20 of his starts.
Stud record
Hermit was an exceptional sire, with 846 English stakes winners, and was the leading English sire for seven years (1880–86). He sired Tristan (1878), winner of the Ascot Gold CupAscot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
, and Friar's Balsam (1885), brilliant as a two-year old but plagued by mouth abscesses during and after the 2000 Guineas. Hermit's son, Ascetic, was the leading sire of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
steeple chasers
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
for almost 20 years. His son, St. Blaise
St. Blaise (horse)
St. Blaise was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1882 to 1884 he ran twelve time and won seven races, although three of these wins were walk-overs. His most important success came in 1883 when he won the Epsom Derby...
, won the Epsom Derby in 1883 and was shipped to Belmont Stud in the United States where he became the leading U.S. sire of 1890, siring Potomac.
He was the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of broodmares in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1899. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:*...
five times and his most notable female offspring were the classic-winning fillies:
- Thebais (1878) - winner of the One Thousand GuineasOne Thousand GuineasThe 1,000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.It is the second of Britain's five Classic...
and the Yorkshire OaksYorkshire OaksThe Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.... - St. Marguerite (1879) - granddam of Rock Sand and winner of the One Thousand GuineasOne Thousand GuineasThe 1,000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.It is the second of Britain's five Classic...
and the Yorkshire OaksYorkshire OaksThe Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.... - ShotoverShotover (horse)Shotover was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a career that lasted from 1882 to 1884 she ran fifteen times and won five races. As a three-year-old, racing against colts, she became the first filly to win the first two legs of the English Triple Crown: the 2000 Guineas at...
(1879) - winner of the Two Thousand GuineasTwo Thousand GuineasThe 2,000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.It is one of Britain's...
and the 1882 Epsom DerbyEpsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
, third-dam of Frizette - Lonely (1882) - winner of the Yorkshire OaksYorkshire OaksThe Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
Other notable daughters included Cinderella (dam of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racehorse, Peter Pan I
Peter Pan I
Peter Pan was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, bred and raced by prominent horseman, James R. Keene. As winner of the Belmont Stakes, the Brooklyn Derby and the Brighton Handicap, he was later inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame...
), Moorhen and Bella-Donna (dam of the American racemare, Beldame
Beldame
Beldame was one of the great racing fillies of Twentieth century American breeding.-A horse to lease:The chestnut was foaled near Lexington, Kentucky in 1901 by Octagon, out of the English bred Bella Donna...
).
Hermit died on 29 April 1890 at the age of 25 at the Blankney Stud in England.
Hermit's tail-male line is extinct, with the last descendant, 1922 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner Morvich
Morvich
Morvich was an American Thoroughbred who was the first California-bred racehorse to win the Kentucky Derby.Bred by sugar magnate Adolph B. Spreckels at his Napa Stock Farm, Morvich was sired by James R. Keene's stallion, Runnymede, and was out of the mare, Hymir by Dr. Leggo. He was sold to...
dying in 1946.