Astronaut Blasts Off in Red Smith at Aqueduct
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Astronaut wins the Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Astronaut was surely a Rocket Man in the $300,000 Red Smith Stakes (G2T) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
With zero hour at about 3:45 p.m. ET, the son of Quality Road zoomed out of the starting gate to grab the early lead and soared to a front-running three-length victory in the Nov. 26 test that closed out the slate of 2022 graded turf stakes at New York Racing Association tracks.
"It's a nice way to celebrate Thanksgiving weekend," trainer Tom Albertrani said.
The victory added an exclamation point to a comeback from what owner John O'Connor described as "nagging injuries," which sidelined the 5-year-old for a little more than nine months after the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) until he returned to action for his West Coast trainer John Shirreffs at Del Mar in early September.
Winner of the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) last season for Shirreffs, Astronaut was a dull eighth in the Sept. 3 Del Mar Mile (G2T) in his season debut. Shipped back east to Albertrani, who had trained him for two New York starts at 3, the grade 2 winner was a much-improved third in the Joe Hirsch Invitational Turf Stakes (G1T) and then an even more improved winner of Saturday's Red Smith.
"It was unfortunate that after the Breeders' Turf Cup (where he was 12th), we discovered he had a little nagging injury that was holding him back," O'Connor said. "So, that's why we gave him time off and brought him back. Then we figured that West Coast tracks were much firmer and the Eastern tracks should suit him better, and judging by today's race, it looks like they do."
Astronaut and his connections in the winner's circle
O'Connor, who also races overseas, was not surprised by Astronaut's ability to set the early pace of :24.81 and :49.82 over firm turf and extend his lead in the final furlong of his timeless flight due to the emphasis he places on European bloodlines. Astronaut, bred in Kentucky by Anastasie Astrid Christiansen-Croy, is out of the Acatenango mare Armanda .
"If you look at the dam line, this is the best we have out of the Acatenango line. It's an experiment we've been working on for about 20 years," O'Connor said. "It's basically reaching back into the traditional continental lines and breeding that kind of robustness and stamina with North American speed."
It was the third win in 14 starts for Astronaut, who is the eighth of 11 foals from Armanda and the lone graded stakes winner from the German-bred producer of six winners. Her most recent foal is a yearling colt named Atitlan by The Factor .
Breaking from post four in the field of 12, jockey Kendrick Carmouche hustled Astronaut to the front in the three-turn test of stamina and was ahead by a length over Cold Hard Cash and Highest Honor after six furlongs in 1:14.98. He enjoyed a 2 1/2-length margin at the eighth pole and widened it slightly as no one mounted a charge from the rear of the pack.
Sent off at 15-1 odds ($32), he crossed the wire in 2:14 for 1 3/8 miles.
"We were looking for the lead today. We stayed close last time, and we thought we might be able to steal it on the lead today. Kendrick did the right thing and made the right choice," Albertrani said. "He came back fresh off the one start in California, and I think that set him up for the last two."
Will Farish's Highest Honor, a Tapit 6-year-old trained by Chad Brown, took second by 1 1/4 lengths over Cold Hard Cash, a Maclean's Music gelding trained by Linda Rice.
"He got a beautiful trip, but the winner kicked away from him, and he was second-best today," said Brown, who also sent out fifth-place finisher Balthus , the 2-1 favorite. "Balthus looked like he didn't handle the turf. He didn't fire today."
Soldier Rising , the 3-1 second choice, never threatened while finishing ninth.
Albertrani said Astronaut would be heading south for the winter, perhaps for one of the distance stakes at Gulfstream Park or Tampa Bay Downs, though, with O'Connor's involvement in international racing, there could come a time when Astronaut touches down overseas.
"We were thinking about the Japan Cup (G1), but the schedule didn't line up," O'Connor said. "We're huge believers in supporting the internationalization of racing because it's so good for the United States."