Friday’s U.S. Insights

9th-BEL, $75K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, post time: 5:19 p.m. EDT
With the Breeders’ Cup just a week away, it seems appropriate that Forever Together (Belong to Me), victorious in the 2008 GI Filly & Mare Turf en route to an Eclipse Award, is represented by her first foal to make the races in the form of TAPIT TOGETHER (Tapit). The bay filly–a product of two grays–races without Lasix as a homebred for George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable and has trained steadily down at Fair Hill for Michael Matz. In addition to her F/M Turf success, the versatile Forever Together was a two-time winner of the GI Diana S., won the 2007 GII Forward Gal S. on the main track and was runner-up in the GII Stonerside Beaumont S. on Polytrack. Chad Brown is always dangerous with his turf firsters, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Pay the Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) looks to add to the 32% strike rate at the current meet. The bay has license to be any kind over this surface, as her full-brother is MGISW Big Blue Kitten, arguably this country’s best hope for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Oct. 31. Equibase PPs

4th-SA, $52K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 5:39 p.m. EDT
MOR SPIRIT (Eskendereya) will look to improve on a debut runner-up effort as he stretches out to a mile for the first time. An $85,000 Fasig-Tipton October purchase, the colt breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 and was hammered down for $650K, easily the most expensive juvenile for his expatriated sire. The form of that maiden has since been validated, as the victorious Street Vision (Street Sense) returned to be second to Toews On Ice (Archarcharch) in the Oct. 18 Speakeasy S. Immediately behind Mor Spirit in that 6 1/2-furlong maiden was Urlacher (Discreet Cat), who also ‘tackles’ a route of ground for the first time. The Darley homebred is a maternal grandson of Unbridled Elaine (Unbridled’s Song), upset winner of the 2001 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Equibase PPs