R Heat Lightning has been withdrawn from consideration for Friday’s Kentucky
Oaks (Grade 1), it was announced Monday by trainer Todd Pletcher.
“We detected heat in her right knee this morning and she was slightly off at
the jog,” Pletcher said. “It’s unfortunate. She’s a very talented filly and has
been training great. We’ve scheduled an appointment for an evaluation, later
this week at Rood and Riddle clinic in Lexington (Kentucky).”
R Heat Lightning was headed to the Oaks as the likely favorite after a
brilliant performance in the April 2 Gulfstream Oaks (Grade 2). The E Paul
Robsham Stable homebred powered home to a 8 1/4-length victory under jockey John
Velazquez for her her third graded stakes triumph and fourth score overall in
her eight-race career.
The bay filly won twice in five starts as a two-year-old including the
Spinaway S. (Grade 1) at Saratoga. She was also runner-up three times, ending
the 2010 season with a solid second-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Fillies (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs.
Fourth in the Forward Gal S. (Grade 2) to open up her sophomore campaign, she
rebounded with a decisive 7 1/4-length triumph in the February 26 Davona Dale S.
(Grade 2) at Gulfstream Park. She has earned $952,800.