First Families oj Virginia 37 



BELLAIR, bred and owned by Col. John Tayloe, and 

 Medley's most distinguished son, not only as a racer but 

 for the purity of his blood and the success of his get as 

 racers, stallions and brood mares. He had the blood of 

 Fearnought, Partner, Mark Anthony and Morton's 

 Traveller and their distinguished ancestry. His great 

 grandam was imp Selima (full sister to Babraham) 

 imported by Col. Tasker of Maryland. She produced 

 13 foals. Bellair lost only one race and that, when out 

 of condition, to Gimcrack. In 1791 Col. Tayloe refused 

 an offer of $10,000 for Bellair. He had numerous de- 

 scendants in Tennessee. 



DIOMED was foaled in 1777, the property of Hon. 

 Richard Vernon, of Newmarket, by whom he was sold 

 to Sir Charles Bunbury. He was got by Florizel, dam 

 sister to Juno by Spectator; g. dam by Blank; by 

 Childers; Miss Belvoir by Gray Grantham; by Paget's 

 Turk; Betty Percival by Leedes' Arabian; by Spanker. 

 Spectator's dam was by (Croft's) Partner. Spectator 

 was by Crab. 



Diomed was 15! hands high and was a solid chestnut 

 without white except on the heel of his right hind foot. 

 He came on the turf in 1780 and in his first season won 

 seven straight races one of which was the Derby at Ep- 

 som (he was the first Derby winner) and another, a sweep- 

 stake, of 500 guineas each, at Newmarket. Summing up 

 his career; he won ten races and received one forfeit, 

 was beat eight times and paid one forfeit. He was placed 

 in the stud in 1785 at 5 guineas and in 1789 was raised to 

 10 guineas. In England he got 65 "most distinguished" 

 sons and daughters, besides many others of lesser note. His 

 son, Grey Diomed, was one of the most noted horses that 

 ever ran in England; and in Russia he ran with such success 

 that several of his stock were sent for from that empire. 



