LEA started 2022 on a high note when his Grade 2 winning Media Luna won the Versets Jet Stakes at Camarero by four lengths.
The one-mile dirt race saw the just-turned 3-year-old go straight to the front of the field where she galloped in third a few lengths behind two dueling pacesetters. The filly made her move as the field entered the turn and made her way up to challenge the leader early in the stretch.
That confrontation didn’t last long with Media Luna galloping by and being asked just enough to stick to her task in the final sixteenth.
It was the fifth win in six starts for the Hinkle Farms-bred Media Luna, who won the Clasico Dia de La Raza Stakes (PR-G2) in October before finishing second in the Clasico Accion de Gracias Stakes (PR-G3) to end her year.
LEA sits a close fourth among all third crop sires among percentage of stakes winners with 6.66% of his runners winning at the stakes level. Media Luna is from LEA’s biggest and best bred crop with his 2019 crop also including stakes winner Kavod and multiple stakes-placed Poppy Flower.
All-in-all, LEA’s six stakes performers in 2021 included Grade 3 winner and $435,000 Fasig-Tipton November purchase Gibberish, and stakes winner Carlea’s Dream in addition to his juvenile stakes winners.