Lightning strikes in Gulfstream Oaks

Last updated: 4/2/11 8:32 PM

R Heat Lightning was never
threatened in the Gulfstream Oaks
(Adam Coglianese Photography)

E. Paul Robsham Stable’s homebred R HEAT LIGHTNING (Trippi) dominated Saturday’s
$300,000
Gulfstream Oaks (G2) under
jockey John Velazquez, romping by 8 1/4 lengths under her own power to finish 1 1/8 miles on the
fast Gulfstream dirt in 1:49 1/5.

“She’s starting to relax more in her races,” Pletcher said. “She’s
not an easy filly to ride, but Johnny has gotten to know her and what to
do. You’re always a little concerned when they have to go wide in the
first turn like that, but she was in the clear, which in the important
thing.”

Triune (E Dubai) led the way around the first turn, with Kindersley
(Bernardini) keeping in close attendance before dropping back a little on the
backstretch. Salary Drive (Mizzen Mast) stalked down on the rail, while R Heat
Lightning was hung wide entering the backstretch. Velazquez settled her about
three wide through splits of :23, :46 1/5 and 1:10 4/5 on the backside, but the Todd Pletcher charge quickly pulled her way
into contention without any urging.

R Heat Lightning ranged up to the outside of Triune while Salary Drive was
coming up the rail to the inside of that rival. Triune couldn’t keep pace with
the pair and began dropping back while Salary Drive attempted to take the
advantage. R Heat Lightning was still on cruise control, though, and easily
began pulling away while under a hand ride. Velazquez never even went to the
whip, remaining chilly in the saddle until pushing her a bit nearing the wire to
get a bit more conditioning into his swift mount.

“She relaxed really well again today. The race set up perfectly,” said
Velazquez, who rode four of Pletcher’s five winners on the day. “They were going
fast enough so we could track the pace and have something to run at. She was so
relaxed and had plenty to finish. She made my day.”

Favored at 3-5, R Heat Lightning paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10. Island
School (A.P. Indy) loped along at the back of the seven-filly field during the
early running, but rallied in the stretch to take second by four lengths over Salary Drive.

Trainer Shug McGaughey said there’s a distinct possibility that his runner-up
Island School will once again try to challenge R Heat Lightning in the Kentucky
Oaks (G1).

“It’s very hard to catch up over this track from the back, but we always want
to let her run her race, and that’s what we did today. I’m pleased,” McGaughey
said. “We’re eligible for an a-other-than (allowance) and we were just second in
the Grade 2 stakes. We thought going two turns was what she’d like, and she’ll
keep improving. I’ll have to think the Oaks is a possibility, I’ll have to talk
to Mr. (Will) Farish and see what he wants to do.”

The previously unbeaten It’s Tricky (Mineshaft), entering this one off an
eight-length score in the Busher S., followed in fourth by another 10 lengths as
the 8-5 second betting choice.

“It’s surprising. We thought she’d be on the lead or closer to the lead and
she was just a little dull today in the race. Maybe the change in climate coming
from New York to here might have been a factor,” said Neal McLaughlin, assistant
to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “She looks fine. She was just quiet out of the
gate.”

Kindersley and Triune completed the order under the wire after Beso Grande (Mass Media)
was eased in the final eighth.

R Heat Lightning suffered the only non top-two finish of her career when
fourth in the Forward Gal S. (G2) in her January 30 sophomore debut. She quickly
returned to form last out, though, when dominating the Davona Dale S. (G2) by 7
1/4 lengths. With this final prep for her main early season goal of the May 6
Kentucky Oaks, the bay miss boosted her lifetime earnings to $952,800 and
shows an 8-4-3-0 career mark.

R Heat Lightning will enter the Kentucky Oaks off two dominating wins
(Joe Ganley/EquiSport Photos)

R Heat Lightning began her racing career with a five-length maiden debut
victory at Delaware Park last July 5. She then finished second in her stakes
bow, the Colleen S., at Monmouth Park before recording a four-length victory in
the September 5 Spinaway S. (G1) at Saratoga. The filly 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.

Pletcher said he wasn’t surprised by R Heat Lightning’s sparkling
performance on Saturday.

“I wasn’t surprised that she ran that kind of race today after the
way she ran the last time, and she ran almost as fast as Awesome Maria
(Maria’s Mon),” said Pletcher, referring to the 1:49 clocking of
four-year-old Awesome Maria’s Rampart (G3) score. “I didn’t think she
got quite the respect she deserved after winning the Spinaway and
finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup last year, but now I think she’ll
be recognized at the head of the class.”

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).