1d THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 
THE AMERICAN RACE HORSE. 
The English thoroughbred began to be imported into America from 
the first. Direct descendants of the leading primary strains were imported 
into the United States, but our blood is based principally upon that of im- 
ported Diomed and his descendants, collaterally replenished by the blood of 
succeeding importations. Diomed, by Florizel, son of Herod (founder of his 
line), was the first winner of the English Derby and the father of American 
race horses. He wasa chestnut without white, except a small touch on one 
heel, fifteen and three-fourths hands high, rather dished face, straight hocks 
and springy pasterns; he was started in England fourteen times and won 
eight, and won the Derby in 1780. He won £8,268 in all and was good at 
all distances. In England he produced many great race horses, including 
Young Giantess, and was imported into Virginia in 1795 in his twenty- 
second year, where he was more popular than any other horse had been 
until Sir Archy eclipsed him. Of his get, Sir Archy, Ball’s Florizel and 
Duroc (sire of American Eclipse) were the greatest. He died in 1808, 
The current of succession was mostly through Sir -Archy, although 
Duroc got American Eclipse, whose blood in a pedigree is by some consid- 
ered the touchstone of success. ‘ 
Sir Archy by Diomed, foaled in 1805, stood highest of all horses bred 
in this country, and yielded his owner $70,000. His dam _ Casti- 
aniri was by Rockingham. Sir Archy was a rich bay, right hind 
pastern white, sixteen hands high, with deep oblique shoulders, full 
girth and short back. He produced winners from mares with all sorts 
of pedigrees, and some from mares with no pedigree at all. He was suc- 
ceeded by his son Timoleon, whose dam was by Saltram (imported), son of 
Eclipse, out of Virago, by Snap, by Flying Childers. Timoleon was foaled 
in 1813. He started fifteen times, won nine, lost two, walked over four, and 
was a great horse in his day. His highest achievement was in producing 
the great race horse Boston, who in turn was the sire of the still greater 
Lexington, without a peer as a native sire. Boston was achestnut, with a 
stripe and white hind legs, and familiarly known as “Old White Nose.” He 
had a plain head, with dish-face, short neck, inclined shoulder-blades, a pro- 
digious chest, great length, immensely powerful loins, hocks and thighs, 
short limbs, straight but very springy pasterns, and altogether great sub- 
stance, almost coarse with his prominent ragged hips, rather flat ribs, but 
well-ribbed loins. He died in 1849 in his seventeenth year. His dam was 
by Ball’s Florizel. 
Lexington, by Boston, inherited his greatness in the male line, although 
the granddam of Iroquois is by Boston, thus skipping over the Lexington 
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