Kentucky Derby 2011: R Heat Lighting Out Of Kentucky Oaks
Added on May 03, 2011 by Jack Thurman in
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The 2011 Kentucky Derby has been something of a ‘jinxed’ race in terms of the number of contenders that won’t participate due to injuries or other circumstances. That jinx has apparently spilled over to Friday’s big event for three year old fillies, the Kentucky Oaks. R Heat Lightning was the likely race favorite but she’s now out with a possible knee injury.
Trainer Todd Pletcher broke the bad news, though his revelation was short on details and gave no indication of the ‘best case’ and ‘worst case’ scenario for R Heat Lightning:
“We detected heat in her right knee this morning and she was slightly off at the jog. It’s unfortunate. She’s a very talented filly and has been training great.”
She’ll be examined later this week at the prestigious Rood and Riddle Equine Clinic in Lexington, Kentucky. Based on Pletcher’s somewhat obtuse statement its unclear just how serious the issue is. Like human athletes, knee injuries in horses can run the gamut in terms of severity from a minor inconviencence to potentially career threatening. Furthermore as with any equine leg injury an especially serious ailment can be potentially life threatening which is definitely not the case with their human counterparts.
Ironically, it was ‘deja vu all over again’ for Pletcher–last year the horse that at the time was considered his best chance for a Kentucky Derby win, Eskendereya, suffered a career ending injury less than a week before the race. It all worked out for Pletcher, who got his first Kentucky Derby anyway thanks to a masterful ride by Calvin Borel aboard Super Saver in the slop at Churchill Downs.
The Kentucky Oaks will have a purse of $1,000,000 this year up from $500,000 in 2010. With R Heat Lightning sidelined the likely posttime favorite will be the Larry Jones trained Joyful Victory. Joyful Victory is coming off a very impressive campaign at Oaklawn Park and could be the top choice of bettors based on that alone. She’s definitely not a dominant favorite, however, so the race could be made to order for underdog bettors. Pletcher does have a horse in the field–Her Smile, who was recently purchased by uber chef Bobby Flay.
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May 3, 10:33 am
With R Heat out of the Oaks, watch out
for the Californians – John Sadler, Joel
Rosario & ZAZU whose last workout was a
7 furlong at 1:24. Exacta Box ZAZU with
Katmanblu and Joyful Victory.