Astronaut Lands in Ontario For Stud Duty

Multiple Grade 2 stakes winner Astronaut, a son of leading sire Quality Road, has been retired and will stand the 2025 breeding season at John Brnjas’ Colebrook Stallion Station in Uxbridge, Ontario. The dark bay seven-year-old is owned and was bred by Anastasie Astrid Christiansen-Croy in Kentucky.

Astronaut won his maiden in his fifth career start, taking a nine-furlong turf event at Santa Anita in California after pressing the pace. Trained by John Shirreffs, Astronaut made a smooth transition into stakes company with a second-place finish in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap (G3) three races later. In his next start, he won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, worth $302,000, at 1 1/3 miles on turf, defeating major stakes winners Master Piece and Acclimate.

Astronaut was given a chance to compete in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2021 at Del Mar but had a troubled trip and lost all chance.

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The horse returned to action in 2022 and was sent east where he finished second in the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Aqueduct to the top mare War Like Goddess. He promptly came back at the same track to win the Grade 2 Red Smith Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf, leading throughout and earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his time of 2:14.

Astronaut was retired in 2023 with a record of three wins, five seconds and a third from 18 races and earnings of $519,860. His sire, Quality Road, currently fourth in North America with progeny earnings of over $9 million, is represented by the impressive young stallion City Of Light.

The dam of Astronaut is two-time winner Armanda, a daughter of multiple leading German sire Acatenengo.

“On the recommendations of Allan Jerkens, I purchased his dam at the Arcana sale in France because she had this old German bloodline in her pedigree that was a complete outcross to all the US stallions,” said Christiansen-Croy. “There is a lot of stamina in her pedigree but also incredible soundness which Astronaut has been throughout his career. He’s raced in Florida, New York and California and he’s as sound as can be. He’s physically beautiful, too.”

The owner said there was interest in the stallion from various countries.

“We looked at stud farms all over the world and he had been offered a place at several stud farms in Lexington, Australia, and even one in Europe. We thought there was a missing link in Canada to a sire like Quality Road and with the strength and soundness like his dam line. If you don’t have outcrosses, you won’t be able to breed something spectacular.

“I particularly like John Brnjas. I think he’s incredibly experienced with breeding. I had a long chat with him and particularly like his creativity and the organization of his stallion station, and he really knows how to take care of a stallion.”

Astronaut will be the only son of Quality Road standing in Ontario.