Female Turf Eclipse: Forever Together

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Sometimes a change of scenery and a stiff drink are all a girl needs. That was at least partially the case for Forever Together, who was named 2008 champion turf mare.

Owned by George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable, the gray/roan daughter of Belong to Mehad a good 3-year-old year, including a win in the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II), but when trainer Jonathan Sheppard switched her to turf and added Guinness to her diet, she really came into her own.

“We had some soundness issues with her,” Strawbridge said after Forever Together’s victory in the First Lady Stakes (gr. IT) at Keeneland in October. “She also wouldn’t sweat. As a result, Jonathan gave her Guinness, which is an old Irish trick, and all of a sudden, it worked like magic.”

A fourth-place finish in an allowance/optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park was her last race on dirt. Switching surfaces, she won the Reluctant Guest Stakes at Arlington Park last May. She ended 2008 with three grade I victories to her credit, the first coming in the Diana Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga.

Forever Together was not the only champion campaigned by Strawbridge in 2008. His homebred filly Rainbow View was named champion 2-year-old filly in Europe.

Although Strawbridge is known for his strong homebred program, he bought Forever Together through Patrice Miller for $240,000 at the 2006 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-olds in training sale. Bred by Dewey and Karen White’s White Fox Farm, Forever Together was sold twice at auction before being bought by Strawbridge. As a weanling she sold for $30,000, and she brought $27,000 as a yearling. She is out of the unraced Relaunch mare Constant Companion.

Forever Together is being pointed toward a 5-year-old campaign. Her record stands at 7-1-3 from 14 starts, and she has earned $2,004,533.