Oaks loses favorite R Heat Lightning

R Heat Lightning has been withdrawn from consideration for Friday's Kentucky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.