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Fugitive Angel hopes to fill role of retired Forever Together

Last updated: 11/14/10 9:11 PM

Fugitive Angel hopes to fill role of retired Forever

Together

Forever Together has left Jonathan Sheppard for the paddocks at Stone Farm

(EquiSport Photos)

Valley View S. (G3) queen FUGITIVE ANGEL (Alphabet Soup) has some big

horseshoes to fill with the departure of champion FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong

to Me) from Jonathan

Sheppard's barn, but could begin that task in Saturday's Mrs. Revere S. (G2) at

Churchill Downs.

Barry Wiseman, assistant to trainer Jonathan Sheppard,

said goodbye on Friday to multiple Grade 1 queen Forever Together, one

of the brightest stars in the roster of horses trained by Sheppard for George

Strawbridge Jr.'s Augustin Stable.

"She went to Stone Farm a couple days

ago," Wiseman said of the six-year-old mare. "She only got beat four necks and a

length last week."

That was when the gray mare made her career finale in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare

Turf (G1), a race she won in 2008 and finished third in last year before

dead-heating for sixth last Saturday.

But Augustin could have another grass

filly waiting in the wings in Fugitive Angel, a Pennsylvania-bred who is

currently riding a four-race win streak that includes the Valley View last out

as well as a 7 1/4-length romp in the Malvern Rose S. on August 19.

"The Keeneland win was nice," Wiseman

said. "She keeps improving, but you just never know when they will stop

improving."

Fugitive Angel is expected to work on

Tuesday over the turf at Churchill.

"Jonathan really likes

her," Wiseman added. "She has been training well and is a very mature three-year-old."

Fugitive Angel already has accomplished

more as a sophomore than Forever Together could.

"Forever Together won right off the bat,

but it wasn't until we put her on the grass that she showed her true form,"

Wiseman explained.

"She went to Chicago (in May 2008 as a four-year-old) and won the

Reluctant Guest with Earlie Fires and then ran third in the Just a Game (G1).

After that race he (Sheppard) said 'I think we can go places with this filly.'"

And go places they did. Forever Together raced on both coasts and in Canada

and earned an Eclipse Award as top female grass performer in 2008. She closed

her career with a record on the turf of 18-6-4-6 and earnings on the grass of

$2,754,499.

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