Spring At Last finished a terrific 2012 as the leading freshman sire standing in North America with $1,181,230 in progeny earnings. The WinStar stallion also led all first-crop sires in graded stakes winners (6), stakes winners (4), and stakes horses (6).
Leading the way for Spring At Last was the brilliant filly Spring in the Air, winner of the $400,000 Alcibiades S. (G1) at Keeneland, as well as running second in the Grade 2 Natalma S.at Woodbine. Spring in the Air, who was bred by WinStar, racked up $431,519 in earnings.
Equally impressive to Spring At Last was her stablemate Spring Venture, who emerged victorious in the Natalma and also took the Grade 3 Mazarine S. at Woodbine. Both fillies are trained by Mark Casse. Owned by Gary Barber and Stoneway Farm, also her breeder, Spring Venture won three of four starts and earned $310,821.
Proving that Spring At Last could sire top-class horses on all surfaces, Seaneen Girl took the Grade 2 Golden Rod S. on the main track at Churchill Downs in late November. That win came on the heels of her runner-up effort behind Spring Venture in the Mazarine. Seaneen Girl finished 2012 with $170,197 and is considered a leading candidate for the 2013 Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Rounding out Spring At Last’s stakes winning quartet is A Lover’s Question, who took the Jamestown S. at Colonial Downs in late July, just three weeks after breaking her maiden at the same track.
Spring At Last ended the year with 13 winners from 32 runners and is the only freshman sire with winners on all three surfaces: traditional dirt, synthetic, and turf. He will stand the 2013 season at WinStar for $15,000 S&N.
