R Heat Lightning romps in Davona Dale

Last updated: 2/26/11 7:56 PM

R Heat Lightning ran away
from her Davona Dale rivals
(Joe Ganley/EquiSport Photos)

E. Paul Robsham Stables LLC’s homebred R HEAT LIGHTNING (Trippi) scooted
through on the rail in Saturday’s $250,000
Davona
Dale S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park and pulled away to be 7 1/4 lengths clear on
the wire of the one-mile test. Sent off the 5-2 second choice in the nine-filly
field, the Todd Pletcher trainee stopped the clock in 1:36 1/5 to return $7,
$3.20 and $2.40 to her backers.

R Heat Lightning was facing a rematch with Pomeroys Pistol (Pomeroy) and
Dancinginherdreams (Tapit) in the Davona Dale after running fourth to that duo’s
respective one-two in the Forward Gal S. (G2) last out. That was the bay filly’s
first start in three months, and she showed much more life on Saturday under
jockey John Velazquez.

“She had a much smoother trip today. Last time she got bumped pretty
hard at the start and never settled down in the backstretch,” Pletcher
said. “Today, she had a clean trip, relaxed, and then went on with it.”

Pomeroys Pistol utilized much the same trip that she had in the Forward Gal,
moving up to track just off the pacesetting Hot Summer (Malibu Moon) through the
opening half-mile. The late-running Dancinginherdreams was placed just off her
flank on this occasion through splits of :23 4/5 and :46 2/5 while R Heat
Lightning was biding her time just behind and in between rivals.

Pomeroys Pistol turned up the pressure and Hot Summer quickly folded, leaving
the way clear for the Forward Gal winner to take command through three-quarters
in 1:10 3/5. Dancinginherdreams stayed with Pomeroys Pistol while running to her
outside, and it appeared a match race was set for the stretch.

R Heat Lightning had other plans, though. Rallying on the inside of Pomeroys
Pistol, the sophomore lass easily grabbed the lead and continuing her momentum
all the way to the line under a strong hand ride from Velazquez.

“She settled really well today. Maybe she learned something from her last
race when she was a little rank,” the rider said. “We were between horses today
and she relaxed and when I asked her at the quarter-pole she responded. It was a
big difference from her last race.”

R Heat Lightning is likely
headed to the Gulfstream Oaks next out
(Adam Coglianese Photography)

Dancinginherdreams, the 6-5 favorite, just got her head in front of Pomeroys
Pistol on the wire to take second, with Oh Carole (Unbridled’s Song) another six
lengths back in fourth in her stakes bow. Hot Summer followed by another two
lengths, with Evil Queen (Hear No Evil), Mending Hearts (Street Cry [Ire]) and
Bellaridge (Cactus Ridge) completing the order of finish. Roxy Gap (Indian
Charlie) was scratched.

“I just wanted to put her where she was comfortable,” said Julien Leparoux,
who had the mount aboard Dancinginherdreams. “She was pretty close to the pace
when she won the race at Churchill Downs (Pocahontas [G2]) so I wasn’t really
concerned about it. We actually had a good trip. No real excuses actually.”

R Heat Lightning suffered the only non top-two finish of her career when
fourth in the Forward Gal last out. She broke her maiden in her July 5 debut at
Delaware Park by five lengths, then finished second in her stakes bow, the
Colleen S., at Monmouth Park. A four-length victory in the September 5 Spinaway
S. (G1) followed at Saratoga, and the bay lass closed out her juvenile campaign
with runner-up finishes in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill
Downs and Frizette
S. (G1) at Belmont Park.

Saturday’s return trip to the winner’s circle saw R Heat Lightning’s record
improve to 7-3-3-0, $772,800.

“We’ll naturally consider the (April 2) Gulfstream Oaks (G2) here,” Pletcher
said. “The main goal is the (May 6) Kentucky Oaks (G1). She’s run well at
Churchill.”

The Florida-bred sophomore is the second registered foal out of the winning
Gold Fever mare Yellow Heat, making her a full sister to last year’s Go for Wand
S. third Hot Trip and a half-sibling to an unnamed yearling colt by High Cotton.

R Heat Lightning’s fourth dam is 1970 Prioress S. winner Exclusive Dancer
(Native Dancer), who would go on to really make a name for herself in the
breeding shed. Among Exclusive Dancer’s offspring is General Assembly
(Secretariat), who captured the 1978 Hopeful S. (G1) and 1979 Travers S. (G1) as
well as ran second in the latter year’s Kentucky Derby (G1); multiple Grade 3
heroine Expressive Dance (Riva Ridge); and Grade 2 runner-up Ten Cents a Dance
(Buckpasser).

Upon retirement, Expressive Dance would produce Grade 1 winner Chief Honcho
(Chief’s Crown) as well as the dams of last year’s Queen Elizabeth II S.
(Eng-G1) victor Poet’s Voice (Dubawi) and multiple Grade 2 scorer American
Chance (Cure the Blues). Ten Cents a Dance would do even better as a broodmare,
foaling multiple Grade 1 queen Versailles Treat (Danzig), herself the dam of
Grade 2 victor Saarland (Unbridled).

Others of note in this line include Grade 1 star Gold Fever (Forty Niner) as
well as Grade 1-placed Grade 3 winners Haka (Dynaformer), Gemswick Park
(Speightstown) and Out of Place (Cox’s Ridge).