by Jeff Lowe
Forever Together scored a hallmark triumph for her loyal connections on Friday in rallying to win the $1,951,080 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park.
The four-year-old Belong to Me filly is the first Breeders’ Cup winner for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who has conditioned horses for her owner, George Strawbridge Jr., for more than 40 years. Forever Together’s name reflects the long association.
“Certainly it's incredibly meaningful to me,” said Sheppard, who has a distinguished record with both flat and steeplechase runners. “I'd like to think that a good trainer is a good trainer regardless of what particular discipline. But I hadn't run a really major championship type race like this before. It does mean a lot to have this on my resume. I'm very happy and humbled by it.
“I have trained for [Strawbridge for], I believe, 42 years. He's been a wonderful friend and loyal owner, which you don't see a lot these days. We've had a lot of fun together.”
Forever Together prevailed in her first attempt at 1¼ miles, closing with a wide rally from eighth at the top of the lane to win by three-quarters of a length at odds of 4.90-to-1. She was a Grade 1 winner earlier this year in the Diana Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and First Lady Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course.
Sealy Hill, the 2007 Canadian Horse of the Year, closed well to finish second at 48.70-to-1. Two-time Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) winner and 2006 champion three-year-old filly Wait a While finished another head back in third. Multiple Group 1 winner Halfway To Heaven (Ire) faded in the stretch to finish seventh as the 2.60-to-1 favorite.
Before this year, Forever Together raced exclusively at sprint distances on the main track. She won the seven-furlong Forward Gal Stakes (G2) on the dirt at Gulfstream Park last year.
“She did look like a very, very good horse when we first started running [in stakes races] in her three-year-old year,” Sheppard said. “She lost her weight a little, we tried to stretch her out and run her long. I think she was having some physical problems. We kind of gave her time off and tried to regroup.
“When we taught her to relax and come from behind horses, she didn't like running into the dirt. When we first raced her, she used to stay pretty close because she didn't want to get dirt in her face. So I thought if she doesn't like the dirt, we'll try the turf, but you don't get the same kickback. She's been going from one step to another since then.”
Strawbridge, who won the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) with Tikkanen, said Forever Together would remain in training next year if she is in good order physically.
Trainer Mark Casse said the Filly and Mare Turf was scheduled to be Sealy Hill’s final start for owner Eugene Melnyk.
“She showed today she could run with anybody,” Casse said. “She has a date with Distorted Humor, but we’ll see. That will be up to Eugene.”
Forever Together improved to seven wins in 14 career starts and boosted her lifetime bankroll to $2,004,533. Bred in Kentucky by Karen and Dewey White’s White Fox Farm, she is out of the Relaunch mare Constant Companion.
For a video replay of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, click here.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer