A Pedigree Analysis

     Via Lombardia comes from a long line of champions on both sides of his pedigree. On his sire's side, Grade 1 champion Shardari and Shardari's dam, Sharmada, both came from H. H. Aga Khan's world-famous breeding program. The Aga Khan is famous for his in-depth pedigree analysis, inbreeding and linebreeding. This was never so apparent as with Via Lombardia's sire, Shardari, as he has 4x4 to Nasrullah and his full sister, Malindi. There have been a number of champions with this important cross including two California Horses of the Year, Brown Bess and Silveyville. 
     However, making Via Lombardia's pedigree even more important is the fact that his dam, Closette, by Fabulous Dancer, a  graded stakes winner and French leading sire by Northern Dancer, brings another Nasrullah cross. This is significant because he now is linebred 5x5x5 to Nasrullah and his full sister, but what is truly spectacular is that he has a Nasrullah son, daughter and a full sibling, which brings the all-important male/female balance along with the Rasmussen Factor's influence of one of the most important broodmares of our generation, the great matriarch, Mumtaz Begum. 
     "Inbreeding to full siblings only intensifies the concentration and effectiveness of  a horse's gene pool, making it that much more prepotent," according to Edwin Anthony in his 21st Century Pedigree Handbook.
     The *Nasrullah line is responsible for roughly 20% of the total number of graded stakes winners and the Northern Dancer line about 30%. What is highly significant here is the fact that both Nasrullah and Northern Dancer descend from the dominant and prepotent Nearco line. Via Lombardia is 7x8x6x6x6x5x6 Nearco. There are seven strains of Nearco, and additionally there are four male and three female, thereby giving the important sex balance.
     Of course, Via Lombardia has many other champions in his pedigree profile, like Ribot, Graustark and Jim French and Top Ville, his paternal grandsire, another Grade 1 champion and leading sire, among others.
     Overall, Via Lombardia has an unusually strong and balanced pedigree. His unusual balance indicates there is no sex bias, indicating that he could sire equally good runners from either sex.
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