"Of all the mares I found on my arrival at Albigowa, I considered Bask's dam, Balalajka, the most valuable," he wrote. "Balalajka was a very well-conformed mare of excellent lines and great beauty, combined with feminine looks and gentleness.... however, at that time nothing could foretell her future career."

Balalajka's dam, Iwonka III, was among those Polish horses taken to the United States after World War II as "spoils of war". She left behind her in Poland only one other foal, Cellist, a 1942 colt by Trypolis who was used mainly to sire Anglo-Arabs in Poland. Iwonka III does have several lines descending from her in North America, however.

Balalajka's sire, Amurath Sahib, was an outstanding sire of broodmares and is well-represented in the pedigrees of many of today's U.S. and Canadian champions. Wrote Pankiewicz, "He passed on his clean lines, size, beauty, and type. Every daughter used in breeding left a lasting record."

Balalajka was the dam of the incomparable sire and US National Champion Stallion Bask (1956) and of Bandola (1948) - First Lady of the Janow Podlaski breeding program and dam of Bajram (1956), Barysz (1960), Bandos (1964), Banzaj (1965), Banat (1967) and Bachantka (1957) - exported to the U.S.A. where she founded an important family. Balalajka was also the dam of stallions Banio (1951) and Bej Assan (1953) - twice winner of the Criterium, and the mare Arfa (1947) - dam of Argos (1957), Arragon (1959), Almifar (1960) and Ariel (1961).