R Heat Lightning strikes late in Spinaway Stakes

Report: USA, Sunday

Saratoga: Spinaway Stakes (Grade 1) 7f, dirt, 2yo  fillies

R HEAT LIGHTNING (Todd Pletcher/Garrett Gomez) came with a late run on the outside to get past Alienation to register a four-length victory in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes.

Garrett Gomez: Grade 1 victory

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

Pletcher looked to hold his best chance with Valiant Passion, impressive maiden winner on debut and sent away the 2.35-1 favourite, but she could only finish third behind her stablemate.

R Heat Lightning, sent away at 4-1, had won on debut at Delaware Park on July 5 and was then second in the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park on August 7 in her only other start.

Pletcher said: "R Heat Lightning had been training very well in her last couple of breezes and got a good, favourable outside post position. I think we'd  have to look at the Frizette (Grade 1, Belmont Park, October 9)."

Gomez added: "I was trying to keep her relaxed. My filly was doing more than I wanted her to do. But just as I came off the turn,  Bob's [Baffert] filly [Alienation] cameback to us and my filly went on."
 
Also on Sunday
 
Del Mar: Del Mar Derby (Grade 2) 1m1f, turf, 3yo

Twirling Candy (John Sadler/Joel Rosario) maintained his unbeaten status in four starts in the Del Mar Derby, but the stewards had to overlook a major blunder by the horse during the race.

Jockey Joel Rosario had the 1-5 favourite cruising infront down the backstretch when the horse suddenly became distracted, causing interference to Summer Movie, but the stewards  determined that the action did not effect the order of finish and Twirling Candy kept his victory.

Rosario said: "I  think he got distracted by something in the infield. Sometimes he just looks for  something to do."

Sadler said he will now move Twirling  Candy back to the main track, with the Goodwood Stakes at Oak Tree [at Hollywood Park] the target.

Sadler also has Sidney's Candy, an impressive winner  in his first start on turf, for the Oak Tree Mile.

"Sidney's Candy was so brilliant on turf, it doesn't make sense to switch him to the main track," he told the Daily Racing Form.