A number of graded stakes winner and pensioned New York stallion Cosmonaut was humanely euthanized Oct. 29 at Cornell Equine Hospital due to complications from surgery, according to Old Friends at Cabin Creek. The gray son of Lemon Drop Kid was 19-years-old.
Retired from stud to Old Friends at Cabin Creek in May 2018, Cosmonaut was a hard-trying turf specialist, winning or finishing on the board in nine graded stakes races over five seasons of racing.
Bred in Kentucky by Patricia Pavlish, Cosmonaut was purchased as a yearling by trainer Carlos Martin for Flying Zee Stable. He broke his maiden at Saratoga Race Course in his 3-year-old season earlier than ending second within the Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs later that yr. Transport west to the barn of Patrick Biancone the following yr, he received a pair of graded stakes within the Golden Gate Fields Handicap (G3T) at Golden Gate Fields and the Arlington Handicap (G3T) at Arlington International Racecourse.
Cosmonaut’s marquee season of racing got here at 5-years-old, scoring one other victory within the Arlington Handicap earlier than ending second by a neck to Purim in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.
His effort within the Shadwell earned him an opportunity on the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) at Monmouth Park, the place he completed third behind Kip Deville and Excellent Art , setting the pace over the soft going. After a second in the River City Handicap (G3T) at Churchill Downs with Carlos Martin. The horse was transferred for 2008 to the barn of Phil Serpe, who was the primary conditioner to the end of his racing career, with the exception of two races run with Martin.
Below the care of Serpe, Cosmonaut earned victories within the Fort Marcy Handicap (G3T) at Belmont Park and the Tampa Bay Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He was retired in 2009 following a fourth within the Fourstardave Handicap (G2T) at Saratoga, wrapping up his profession with eight wins and 11 different in-the-money finishes from 36 begins and $1,397,723 in earnings.
Cosmonaut entered stud in 2010 at Lynwood and Suzie O’Cain’s Highcliff Farm, the place he was a helpful sire of 4 black-type winners and 45 winners from 78 starters. His high runners included 2016 Bourbonette Oaks (G3) winner Wonderment, grade 2-placed stakes winner Selenite, New York stakes winners Kreesie and Goodbye Brockley, and grade 2-placed winner Marvin’s Miracle.
Apart from Highcliff, Cosmonaut stood at Mill Creek Farm, Saratoga Stud, and Keane Stud.
“Cosmonaut was a beautiful ole man and liked his peaceable life being an envoy for aftercare, however primarily liked his alfalfa,” Outdated Buddies at Cabin Creek proprietor and supervisor JoAnn Pepper stated in a tweet Oct. 29. “We miss him a lot already. They by no means get to remain lengthy sufficient.”
