The breeding statistics published by Stud Book Authority of India are oriented -- as world over -- towards the stallions. It does, however, publish a table of Leading Families. The first one appeared in the Return of Mares 1994 when Simon's Shoes was on the top. The following year, the Schiaparelli won its first title. Schiaparelli is once again on top this year to seal a hat-trick. It has exactly a dozen titles in 26 years to proclaim its utter dominance.

The first Classic winner from Schiaparelli family was Divine Light in 1987. Since then, she has been emulated by 29 other members of that family and its current Classic tally stands at 74. That makes Schiaparelli the most prolific Classic source in India.  Schiaparelli (b 1935 Schiavoni - Aileen) was bred by Lord Derby and was a winner of five races at 3 including four over 2400 m. Today, Schiaparelli is an acknowledged international tap-root with the likes of  Herringbone, Sassafras, Irish Ball,Kings Lake, Shantung, Last Tycoon and others among its ranks.  The details of its prominent Indian descendants are given in succeeding paragraphs with the trace back to Schiaparelli along the tail-female line shown in brackets after the name of the imported mare.

Charenzzacio (Chanel - Schiaparelli), the dam of Divine Light, came to India in 1982, accompanied by her Sanhedrin daughter -- later named  Schiaparelli[HOL] -- at foot. Both were resident at Poonawalla Farms. Classic winners descending from that duo are -- Divine Light (2 Classics), Ministrella (5), Vesuvius, Adler (3), Mystic Memory (4), Divine Dreams (3), Ministerial (3), Ministerian, Mystical (4), Guest Connections, Classic Sky (3), Sans Pareil, Business Tycoon, Royal Blue Star, Castlebridge (4), Southern Emperor (2), Mauritania and Well Connected (3). 18 winners of 43 Classics.

Even before Divine Light had raced, Ghanayem (Carcajou - Wolverine - She Wolf - Dilettante - Herringbone -- Schiaparelli) had reached Usha Stud. She was a good mare who produced two black-type winners but it was her first foal, the Classic-placed Galiceno, who became the dam of Star Supreme, a winner of four races including the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 and McDowell Indian Derby, Gr.1. Since then, the line has gone out of limelight.

Like her dam Divine Light, Schiaparelli[HOL]'s first foal won a Classic. That was Vesuvius. It prompted the Poonawalla Farms to import Ratifia  (Ruta - Dame d'Atour - Barley Corn - Schiaparelli) in 1990. Ratifia's Gr.1-placed daughter Rasant joined her a decade later. This mother and daughter pair is responsible for Indian Triple Crown winner Smart Chieftan (5), Classical Act (2), Southern Empire (7), Change of Luck, Southern Bay (3),  Rain Splasher.and Isn't She Special (2). 7 Classic winners of 21 Classics.

Between Ratifia and Rasant, Poonawalla Farms had also acquired Lyrical Fantasy, a daughter of Chalina (Bandit Queen - Fisherman's Wharf - Herringbone - Schiaparelli) who had come to Clover Stud in 1990. Lyrical Fantasy was a winner of five good races in Western India and her first foal was Count The Steps (Kingfisher Bangalore Colts' Trial Stakes, Gr.1). In 1997, two more mares from the Schiaparaelli family came to India. One of them was Beautiful Ballad (Delightful Time - Ruta - Dame d'Atour - Herringbone - Schiaparelli) who produced a black-type winner at Manjri Stud but it is her grandsons, Pronto Pronto (Bangalore Colts' Championship Stakes, Gr.1, Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1, Casino Royale Indian 2000 Guineas, Gr.1) and Kingoftheworld (South India 2000 Guineas, Gr.2), both out of Sandslash, who placed her on the Classic map. There was also Albuferia (Bright and Bold - Sanctus Lass - Irish Lass II - Scollata - Cutaway - Schiaparelli) whose daughter, born at Chettinad Stud, won the South India St. Leger, Gr.2.

With winners of 68 Classics, it is obvious that the Barley Corn stirps scores over Herringbone and Cutaway. Hyperion's daughter Barley Corn placed just twice from five starts but is beautifully bred having Serenissima 3x3 and Canterbury Pilgrim 4x4 in her pedigree. The Schiaparelli family has been one of the foundation stones of the Poonawalla success providing them with 59 Classics. To accord a perspective to it, that is numerically a greater contribution than Malvado or Alnasr Alwasheek.

The star of the year for Schiaparelli family was Well Connected. Her stakes earnings of Rs.2,04,43,713 went a long way in helping Schiaparelli family to finish ahead of  Pretty Polly family. The details of top five finishers are given below.

There are, according to Volume XVIII of Indian Stud Book, 104 mares tracing to Schiaparelli in the country. Only the Pretty Polly family has a marginally greater strength. Every stud farm would love to have a mare from this family but most breeders are reluctant to let one slip away from them. Buying from abroad is an option but not an easy one. Most of the mares imported to India come from Goffs in Ireland or Tattersalls in England. The breeding stock sale of those two auction sale houses this year revealed a dearth of Schiaparelli line mares. There were just five of them in both sales put together and all of them belonged to the Cutaway family.

A feature of this year's Classic results showed welcome victories for some old Indian families. Descendants of Lady Sarah, Mindful, Our Liz, Miss Nancy, Wenonah and Kasbah all picked up a Classic during the year. The most heartening of that was the victory of Realmsoffantasy in the Golconda 1000 Guineas, Gr.2. The filly belongs to the Mindful family and it is the oldest family in India. Her pedigree encapsulates the very best in Indian breeding and reads, along the tail-female line  -- Realmsoffantasy (Excellent Art) - Glorious Fantasy (Razeen) - Magical Moments (Common Land) - Monica (Prince Pradeep)- Replica (Rock of Gibraltar) - Remembrance (Flower Dust) - Nava Ratna (Short Hand) - My Queen (Sheridan) - My Realm (Royal Realm) - Mindful (Minoru). It was exactly a hundred years ago that The Minx, a Great Sport half-sister to Royal Realm, was born in Ireland. Both The Minx and Royal Realm came to India in 1923 and were followed Royal Realm's full-sister Queen's Dream a couple of years later. The three sisters raced in India and then retired to Renala Stud, then the premier breeding establishment in the country. It only needs to be added that Mindful-- sired by the Epsom Derby winner Minoru -- was the grandam of Short Hand, an influential stallion in the sub-continent and the third dam of Princequillo, an acknowledged chef de race.

PAST THE POST

Given below is a table showing a comparison between the Champion Sire and the Leading Family for each of the ten years of this decade.

The table of Leading Families consists solely of renowned international tap-roots. The table of Champion Sires comprises of stallions standing in India. Yet, only once, in 2010-11 -- duly highlighted -- has the Leading Family a higher 'Average Earnings Per Starter' figure than the corresponding Champion Sire of the year. Those who swear by the matriarchal superiority in equines would surely have an explanation and it will be interesting to learn of it.