Astreos

[Brianna McKenzie]

How sad for Chris Sr.


Astreos Passes Suddenly

October 9, 2006

Nine-year-old stallion Astreos has passed away. The stallion, who was at Alabar in New Zealand, was found dead in his paddock earlier today.

Alabar's farm manager, Graeme Henley, told Harness Link that Astreos was 'bright as a berry' yesterday and licked his feed bowl clean the night before his passing.

"Although Alabar did not hold any ownership of the horse, we are all extremely sorry for his Canadian owner Chris Christoforou (majority owner) who owned and trained him and his son Chris Jr. who drove him," Henley said. When in Canada Astreos stood at Tara Hills Stud in Port Perry, Ont., and was a top Ontario stallion.

"He was a special horse to them, a great racehorse and just like one of the family."

Astreos had reportedly come out of quarantine on September 5.

"He also looked just as good and healthy yesterday and his unexpected death has really numbed us all - it is so unbelievably disappointing all round," Henley said.

An autopsy was being performed today to establish or identify any contributing factors to his sudden death.

"He was only 9 and had stood a year for us in Victoria in 2002 and it had always been our wish to get him back for a few years."

Henley said all clients would be advised as soon as possible of the sire's death in order to switch bookings to other sires.

To date Astreos has sired 270 starters for earnings of $9,362,183. He had 22 $100,000+ winners and over 150 2:00 performers, including standouts Astronomical and Zooka.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering our condolences to all of the connections of Astreos.

[Mandy Saunders]

How extremely sad

Makes me wonder how Artsplace is doing...