NEWS
R Heat Lightning clear winner in Spinaway
Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 8:21 PM
R HEAT LIGHTNING
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
To view the Spinaway Stakes, click here.
by Myra Lewyn
One of a quartet of fillies entered by trainer Todd Pletcher, R Heat Lightning emerged as the clear winner of the $250,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course after wearing down Alienation in the stretch to complete a last-to-first rally.
The E. Paul Robsham homebred, the least respected in the wagering among Pletcher’s foursome at 4.20-to-1 odds, was outrun early but swept four wide into stretch, collared Alienation inside the final furlong, and powered away to win by four lengths and earn her first stakes victory.
The triumph was a record 36th at the meet for Pletcher, who eclipsed his own Saratoga record of 35 wins in a single season, which he set in 2003 and ‘04 when the meet was four days shorter than the current 40 days. The 2010 meet concludes Monday.
The Trippi filly out of winner Yellow Heat, by Gold Fever, won for the second time in three career starts. She scored the breakthrough stakes win when stretched out to seven furlongs following a runner-up finish at Monmouth Park in the 5½-furlong Colleen Stakes, in which she closed strongly from next to last to finish a length behind Twelve Pack Shelly. Although she raced greenly in her debut a month earlier in a five-furlong race at Delaware Park, she proved best in a five-length romp.
“I think to anybody who had seen her first two races, particularly the Colleen, where she continued to close and close and close, it looked like more ground was going to help her, so it wasn’t a surprise to any of us,” Pletcher said after the Spinaway.
Florida-bred R Heat Lightning covered the distance under Garrett Gomez in 1:25.23 on a track rated as fast and will be considered for the Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on October 9.
Pletcher’s Sky Hosoya seized the early lead through a swift opening quarter in :21.89 before Alienation took over through a half-mile in :44.74. Alienation, who stumbled at the start, opened a clear lead on the turn and led by 1½ lengths in early stretch, but R Heat Lightning made steady progress into contention and was full of run for the win.
Pletcher’s Valiant Passion, a 9 ¼-length debut winner on August 12 at the Spa, finished third as the 2.35-to-1 favorite. Pletcher’s Stopspendingmaria, runner-up in the Schuylerville Stakes (G3) at Saratoga on July 23, finished sixth at the 2.85-to-1 second wagering choice as part of a couple entry with Sky Hosoya, who faded to last.
Schuylerville winner Le Mi Geaux finished fifth after racing in last through a half-mile
The $150,000 winner’s share of the Spinaway purse more than quadrupled R Heat Lightning’s earnings to $192,800.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
