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Cosmonaut blasts into orbit at Arlington

Cosmonaut returned to the winner's circle on Saturday (Benoit Photo) Flying Zee Stable's COSMONAUT (Lemon Drop Kid) had been plying his trade on the main track since March, but the Patrick Biancone trainee heartily endorsed reverting to the grass when drawing off to a commanding 2 1/4-length victory in the $200,000 Arlington H. (G3) on Saturday. Guided by Julien Leparoux, the four-year-old gray completed 1 1/4 miles over Arlington Park's soft turf in 2:03. Breaking from the rail, Leparoux was able to carve out a ground-saving trip aboard Cosmonaut, who was the innermost of four horses abreast contending for the lead as the field passed the stands for the first time. To Cosmonaut's outside came 7-5 favorite Red Fort (Ire) (Green Desert), Rush Bay (Cozzene) and Embossed (Ire) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]). Rush Bay had his head in front through the opening quarter in :24 4/5, but on the backstretch, the four separated themselves and Cosmonaut secured a narrow lead, closely attended by Red Fort while clocking fractions of :48 4/5, 1:13 3/5 and 1:38 3/5. While his nearest pursuers began to spin their wheels, the winner continued to travel comfortably, and once in the homestretch, he leveled off beautifully to cross the wire by a convincing margin. "He got to the front easily," Leparoux said. "He was very relaxed, and when I asked him at the three-eighths (pole), he gave a good answer. The turf today isn't really soft, but it's not firm either, but he liked it."

Rank outsider Load a Chronic (Comstock Lode) charged from last to garner second by 1 3/4 lengths over fellow closer Artiste Royal (Ire) (Danehill). The early pace pressers all faded, with Red Fort faring the best of them in fourth, followed by Rush Bay and Embossed.

The fourth choice in the wagering at 4-1, Cosmonaut paid $10.40, $5.80 and $5. Load a Chronic, dismissed as the longest shot on the board at 29-1, returned $15.40 and $6, while Artiste Royal gave back $4 as the 3-1 second choice. The exotics totaled $151 (exacta), $741.40 (trifecta) and $2,688.60 (1-6-5-2 superfecta).

Bred in Kentucky by Patricia Pavlish, Cosmonaut was sold for $105,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The gray is out of Grade 2-placed Cosmic Fire (Capote), who has also produced Kickin' the Clouds (Dixieland Band), third in the July 16 Heavenly Cause H., and an unraced juvenile full brother to the winner named Cosmic Rover. Cosmonaut's second dam is four-time stakes victress and Grade 3-placed Future Bright (Lyphard's Wish [Fr]).

Cosmonaut earned his second graded stakes score, having captured the off-the-turf Golden Gate Fields H. (G3) in March. He stayed on the dirt for his next three outings without success and was coming off a ninth and last in the Stephen Foster H. (G1). As a sophomore in 2005, he finished second in the Commonwealth Turf S.  His record now stands at 15-4-3-1 with a bankroll of $366,200.

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