New York Sire Cosmonaut Dies at 19

Multiple 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 10 graded stakes races over six seasons of racing.

Bred in Kentucky by Patricia Pavlish, Cosmonaut was purchased for $105,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by trainer Carlos Martin for Flying Zee Stable. He broke his maiden at Saratoga Race Course in his 3-year-old season before finishing second in the Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs later that year. Shipping west to the barn of Patrick Biancone the next year, he won a pair of graded stakes in the Golden Gate Fields Handicap (G3) at Golden Gate Fields and the Arlington Handicap (G3T) at Arlington International Racecourse.

Cosmonaut's marquee season of racing came at 5 years old, scoring another victory in the Arlington Handicap before finishing second by a neck to Purim  in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.

His effort in the Shadwell earned him a chance at the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Monmouth Park, where he finished third behind Kip Deville  and Excellent Art  after setting the pace over the soft going. After a second in the River City Handicap (G3T) at Churchill Downs with Carlos Martin, he 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.

Under the care of Serpe, Cosmonaut earned victories in the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park and the Tampa Bay Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He was retired in 2009 following a fourth in the Fourstardave Handicap (G2T) at Saratoga, wrapping up his career with eight wins and 11 other in-the-money finishes from 36 starts and $1,397,723 in earnings.

Cosmonaut entered stud in 2010 at Lynwood and Suzie O'Cain's Highcliff Farm, where he was a useful sire of four black-type winners and 45 winners from 78 starters. His top 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.

Besides Highcliff, Cosmonaut stood at Mill Creek Farm, Saratoga Stud, and Keane Stud.

"Cosmonaut was a wonderful ole guy and loved his peaceful life being an ambassador for aftercare, but mainly loved his alfalfa," Old Friends at Cabin Creek owner and manager JoAnn Pepper said in a tweet Oct. 29. "We miss him so much already. They never get to stay long enough."