Justwhistledixie

West Point Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm and R.D. Hubbard’s Justwhistledixie, a winner of five consecutive races including the Bonnie Miss (Grade II) and Davona Dale (GII) at Gulfstream Park, has been scratched from the 135th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI) because of a foot ailment.

    The 3-year-old daughter of Dixie Union was the 5-2 second choice in the morning line odds for the field of eight in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, but was scratched less than two hours before the race.  Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said the filly was suffering from an abscess in her left front foot that was discovered as his brother and assistant trainer Neal McLaughlin prepared Justwhistledixie for the race.

    “She took an ‘off’ step in her stall,” said Kiaran McLaughlin said.  “We called the vet over and took a look at her and she was really tender in her left inside front.  We took the shoe off and there was heat in there.”

    Justwhistledixie was considered the biggest threat to Rachel Alexandra, the odds-on favorite in the Kentucky Oaks.  McLaughlin said his filly’s ailment is not serious, but there was no way she could compete in the Kentucky Oaks..

    “It’s just horrible timing,” he said.  “She’ll be fine, but it’s really disappointing.”

    Justwhistledixie’s five-race win streak had lifted her career record to 5-0-2 in seven races.  She has earned $337,927.  She is unbeaten in three races in 2009.

    The well-regarded Justwhistledixie was the 5-2 favorite in this year’s single pool of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which was conducted March 12-15.  Rachel Alexandra was the 3-1 second choice in that four-day pool and reigning 2-year-old champion Stardom Bound was the third choice at 9-2.

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BE FAIR / STONE LEGACY / TWEETER – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas sent his three Kentucky Oaks entrants to the track for morning gallops before the renovation break at Churchill Downs on Thursday. The Hall of Fame trainer later acknowledged that “it’s a bad year to be in the Oaks” because of the presence of Rachel Alexandra, the odds-on morning-line favorite.

“We’re realistic. Rachel Alexandra is a super good filly. Since Winning Colors, she’s the best to come along,” said Lukas, who notched his first of four Kentucky Derby successes when Winning Colors beat the boys in 1988.

Lukas will saddle a trio of lightly experienced fillies for their clash with Rachel Alexandra. While the task of running against such a dominant filly will be an imposing one, Lukas is confident that his three fillies won’t get in each other’s way.

“When you run three, you’ve got to be careful that they don’t compromise each other. They have three different running styles,” Lukas said. “Tweeter has a style that she’ll be more forward and be close to the pace. Be Fair has good tactical speed, but will probably be mid-pack. Stone Legacy will be coming late, if there is such a thing and she has the ability.”

FLYING SPUR – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said said he is pleased with the way Flying Spur is coming up to Friday’s Grade I event at a mile and an eighth.

“She’s great,” Mott said of the daughter of the top mare Lakeway, who ran second to Sardula in the 1994 Oaks.

Flying Spur galloped once around the track Thursday morning with exercise rider Joanna Trout up. Garrett Gomez has the mount on Flying Spur, who will break from post position eight.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – Arnold Zetcher’s homebred Medaglia d’Oro filly Gabby’s Golden Gal galloped a mile and half Thursday morning.

“She’s great, but Rachel Alexandra is in the race,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “It’s like knowing that you’re in there with Usain Bolt.”

Victor Espinosa will ride Gabby’s Golden Gal on Friday and break from post position four.

JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – Justwhistledixie, a daughter of Dixie Union, galloped 1 1/2 miles under Danny Wright at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning prior to the renovation break.

Justwhistledixie will be seeking her sixth straight victory when she takes on odds-on morning-line favorite Rachel Alexandra. Yet, her connections are training their filly like the odds-on morning-line favorite won’t be in the race.

“We need to just make our own game plan and stick with it. We’re going to be stalking the pace and hopefully, not too far back. We hope someone takes on Rachel Alexandra on the lead and sets a good pace,” said Neal McLaughlin, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s assistant and brother. “We’ll be sitting back in third and fourth, saving ground, hopefully, and be ready to pounce. We have to stick to our plan, and that’s the way the filly likes to run.”

McLaughlin thinks jockey Julien Leparoux will help Justwhistledixie run her own race.

“Julien is such a patient rider, that’s what I like about him. He’s cool, especially on big days like this one. He has a great record here and is coming off a super meet at Keeneland. He’s just full of confidence,” McLaughlin said. “Julien’s not going to panic. If they go fast and open up six or eight (lengths), he’s not going to go after them and worry. This filly’s running style fits Julien’s riding style. He likes to settle in and make a run, just like this filly likes to do.”

NAN – J. Paul Reddam’s Nan galloped a mile and an eighth before the renovation break under exercise rider Sergio Martin.

Listed at 20-1 on the morning line, Nan will break from post position seven in the Friday’s Oaks under two-time Oaks winner Corey Nakatani.

Nan has won one of 10 starts, but was competitive against Grade I company going two turns this winter at Santa Anita.

“She has had some rough trips,” said Aimee Dollase, who along with her father Wally is overseeing Nan’s preparations here.  “I guess the key question for tomorrow is how she handles the dirt in the afternoon. She has been training good and I guess we’ll see if she likes the mud.”

Only two of Nan’s starts have been on dirt, a ninth-place finish going six furlongs on a fast track at Saratoga last August and a fifth-place finish in an off-the-turf mile race at Aqueduct in November. Nan was trained by Mark Hennig at the time.

Dollase was asked if she could write the perfect script for Nan on Friday how it would unfold.

“I’d like to see a speed duel with Rachel Alexandra,” Dollase said. “Corey can sit sit back and let her roll. That would be ideal.”

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – After two days of walking, morning-line Kentucky Oaks favorite Rachel Alexandra returned to the track Thursday morning, galloping a strong mile and a half under Rudy Gallegos.

Trainer Hal Wiggins waited until after the renovation break to bring Rachel Alexandra out for her first exercise since working a bullet half-mile in :46.40 on Monday. Rachel Alexandra stood quietly about 30 yards off the track in the gap surrounded by on-lookers and then went out about her business.

“She’s like a keg of dynamite,” Gallegos said as the duo exited the track at the clockers’ stand a short time later.

“We’re ready to go. I want to go to the paddock now,” Wiggins said. “She will not go to the track in the morning. She will get her bath about 5:15 and then we will let her relax until it is time to go over.”

Calvin Borel, who has been aboard for Rachel Alexandra’s past four victories, has the mount Friday and will break from post position six. She is 3-5 on the morning line in the field of eight.

“I’d like to see her break clean, get an easy lead and have an easy lead at the wire,” Wiggins said. “I told (D. Wayne) Lukas I was going to watch the load and make sure all three of his horses were in the gate. I didn’t want to see one of them at the half-mile pole.”

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BE FAIR / STONE LEGACY / TWEETER – All three D. Wayne Lukas-trained fillies galloped at Churchill Downs on Wednesday morning in preparation for a meeting with likely odds-on favorite Rachel Alexandra in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.

“What we’re going to do in the Oaks is I’m going to put Be Fair over there by the (track) kitchen; I’m going to put Tweeter right here (at the backstretch gap); and we’re going to tag around and keep barreling so we can hold off that monster,” said the Hall of Fame trainer, who also will saddle Stone Legacy, who apparently has been designated to start for Lukas’ tag team.

Lukas, who has saddled four Oaks winners, said Rachel Alexandra would be a threat to win the Kentucky Derby had her connections opted to run her against the boys.

“She’d be super tough. If you’re a handicapper – and I’m a terrible one – her numbers are plenty good,” said Lukas, who compared Rachel Alexandra with his 1988 Kentucky Derby-winning filly, Winning Colors, on the basis of talent.

FLYING SPUR – Mike Rutherford’s homebred Giant’s Causeway filly Flying Spur galloped over the muddy racetrack Wednesday morning in preparation for her first start in a Grade I race.

Trainer Bill Mott said everything with fine with the filly, a daughter of the terrific racemare and 1994 Kentucky Oaks runner-up Lakeway.

Flying Spur was winless in three starts – two of them on turf – last year and emerged as a capable dirt runner during the winter at Fair Grounds. She enters the Kentucky Oaks off a second-place finish to Rachel Alexandra in the Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II) on March 14.

Mott said maturity has much to do with her development in 2009.

“It took her a couple of times to break her maiden,” Mott said. “It wasn’t like one just came out running. She’s been one that’s gotten a little better right along.”

Mott said he expected her to make progress.

“I think the horses by her sire tend to get a little better with age,” Mott said. “The Giant’s Causeways tend to improve. I think a lot of people have recognized that. A little like the A.P. Indys, they get a little better as time goes on. That’s how she’s done.”

Mott said Flying Spur likes the muddy conditions she trained over.

“Her best races are on a wet track,” he said. “She broke her maiden in the mud and her best races are in the mud.”

Mott is fine with the forecast of stormy weather this week.

“We’re all for it,” he said. “Rain would be good for us.”

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – Trainer Bob Baffert sent Arnold Zetcher’s homebred Gabby’s Golden Gal out to gallop a mile and a half over the muddy track Wednesday.

Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally handled the filly before she was moved to Baffert’s care last fall. 

“Ron was really high on her last year and he told me she could really run,” Baffert said. “He was right.”

Gabby’s Golden Gal earned her trip to the Oaks to face Rachel Alexandra, the 3-5 favorite, with a 13-length victory in the Sunland Oaks. Baffert said the race at the eastern New Mexico track was her first test on dirt and going two turns.

“She really just loved the distance,” Baffert said. “She came back and really wasn’t tired. But she’s running against a totally different group of horses here.”

Baffert made the decision to go forward after seeing how she handled the Churchill Down surface.  “It’s a tough race,” he said. “You have Rachel Alexandra, who’s just a freak of all freaks. But I liked what I saw here. I brought a bunch of horses here and the ones that didn’t train well I’m not running, like Indian Blessing. I just didn’t like the way she trained here. She just didn’t have any bounce in her step.

“This filly has been training really well here. It’s really hard to get excited knowing that Rachel Alexandra and some other fillies are in there; it’s a pretty competitive race.  It’s the Kentucky Oaks. She’s doing well. I don’t think the distance will be a problem for her.”

JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – Justwhistledixie galloped 1 1/4 miles under Danny Wright before the renovation break at Churchill Downs on Wednesday morning.

“The track was a little bit wet but she seemed to handle it fine. She was a little more relaxed this morning – looked around and saw all the tents and looked at everything,’’ said Neal McLaughlin, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s assistant and brother.

McLaughlin expressed satisfaction with Justwhistledixie’s No. 5 post position, just inside Rachel Alexandra, the 3-5 morning-line favorite of eight entered in the Oaks.

“Five of eight is perfect. Rachel Alexandra might wish that she was inside of us, but now she’s going to have do something to clear us, because we’re going to break forward. If she wants the lead, she’s gotta go to get around us and deal with the others inside of us,” McLaughlin added. “An eight-horse field, the only thing we didn’t want was one, two.”

McLaughlin has the utmost respect for Rachel Alexandra, but he’s not ready to concede victory to the favorite, especially with a filly who will be seeking her sixth consecutive victory in the Oaks.

“Rachel Alexandra, the way she trains, she seems very aggressive, and I don’t think there’s any rating her. That’s our best chance – if they go too fast,” he said. “But she could be that special that it doesn’t matter. She could be that type.”

Kiaran McLaughlin is expected to be at Churchill Downs Thursday morning.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam’s Nan galloped a mile and an eighth over a muddy track Wednesday morning before the renovation break under exercise rider Sergio Martin.

Trained by Craig Dollase, Nan will break from post position seven in Friday’s Oaks and be ridden by Corey Nakatani. Nan is listed at 20-1 on the morning line.

Dollase will not be here for the Oaks as his daughter Audrey is having her First Communion. Craig’s sister Aimee, along with their father Wally, is overseeing the filly’s preparations.

“She has been here since she ran in the Ashland (on April 4 at Keeneland),” Aimee said. “She is a nice filly. I wasn’t with her when she was in California with Craig.”

So, what kind of scouting reports has Aimee given her brother?

“They all look like good fillies and then there’s Rachel Alexandra,” Aimee said. “She worked fast the other day; she’s a tremendous filly.”

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – L and M Partners’ Rachel Alexandra walked the shedrow for a second consecutive morning following a half-mile work in :46.40 on Monday.

“She has already had her bath and is back in her stall,” trainer Hal Wiggins said at 6 a.m. as he headed trackside to watch another member of his barn go through its morning paces. “She will gallop tomorrow."

Bred by Dolphus Morrison, who is the “M” in L and M Partners with Michael Lauffer, Rachel Alexandra is the 3-5 morning line favorite for the Kentucky Oaks and will break from post position six under Calvin Borel.

Wiggins was asked if he had done any scouting of the opposition for Friday’s race.

“I saw (Bob) Baffert’s filly (Gabby’s Golden Gal) work on video (1:00.60 on Sunday) and she looked smooth and galloped out strong,” Wiggins said. “I haven’t seen her up close, but she has the same sire (Medaglia d’Oro) as Rachel.  I have seen Justwhistledixie gallop and she has won five straight and two graded stakes and not many horses can do that. And (Bill) Mott’s filly (Flying Spur). She was second to us at the Fair Grounds and she is in good hands. He knows what to do with a horse.”

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BE FAIR / STONE LEGACY / TWEETER – Marylou Whitney Stables' Stone Legacy was entered for Kentucky Oaks 135 by trainer D. Wayne Lukas on Tuesday morning. The decision gave Lukas three fillies in the Oaks, a race he has won four times.

Stone Legacy, who galloped Tuesday morning, will be ridden for the first time by Kent Desormeaux and break from post position three.

Westrock Stables' Be Fair galloped on her first day back on the track after working five furlongs on Sunday in 1:00.20 under exercise rider Omar Golon.

Be Fair will break from post position two under Rafael Bejarano

Marylou Whitney Stables' Tweeter walked the shedrow a day after breezing down the lane. Miguel Mena, who rode Tweeter to her maiden-breaking victory on April 3 at Keeneland, has the Oaks mount and will break from post position one.

When asked why the eight-horse field is smaller this year than in recent renewals, Lukas replied, “Two words: Rachel Alexandra. I think she's the strongest favorite since Winning Colors' year if she had raced in the Oaks.”

Winning Colors, trained by Lukas, won the Derby in 1988 becoming only the third, and most recent, filly to win the Run for the Roses.

Asked why he's running if he thinks Rachel Alexandra is such a strong favorite Lukas replied, “If you could guarantee me second place right now I'd be a happy man.”

FLYING SPUR – Like her Kentucky Derby-bound stablemate Hold Me Back, Flying Spur was not content to walk the shedrow the morning after her final breeze. Trainer Bill Mott said the filly wanted a little more action Tuesday after working four furlongs in :48.40 and was sent to the track to jog.

“She’s ready to go,” Mott said.

The Hall of Fame trainer smiled as he said there was another reason why his filly was out on the racing surface.

“We wanted to see if that track was still hot where Rachel Alexandra had been over it,” he said. “We were going to try and feel it out and see if the smoke had settled yet.”

Rachel Alexandra, who will be the heavy favorite in the Oaks, turned in a blistering four-furlong workout in :46.40 on Monday morning.

Mott was asked what he found.

“It was still a little warm,” he said.

Flying Spur will break from post position eight under Garrett Gomez.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – Trainer Bob Baffert concedes that Arnold Zetcher’s homebred filly Gabby’s Golden Gal faces a tough assignment Friday in the Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of  Medaglia d’Oro earned her trip to Churchill Downs with a 13-length victory in the Sunland Oaks on March 29.

“It’s a big step up for her, but the way she ran at Sunland Park, we felt that she deserved a shot at the big event,” Baffert said. “She’s trained well. She looks fantastic. I think she showed that day that she excelled on two turns. When she turned for home she just turned it on. When she came back she wasn’t tired, wasn’t blowing hard.”

Baffert paused to make a point.

“This is a totally different field,” he said.

The star is Rachel Alexandra, who is on a four-race winning streak.

“This little filly (Gabby’s Golden Gal) is not very big, but she’s very aggressive,” Baffert said. “She’s going to want to be near the lead. I just hope she and Rachel don’t hook up and cook each other. She’s free-running, so she’ll be up on the pace.”

Gabby’s Golden Gal galloped Tuesday morning. Victor Espinoza has the mount Friday and will exit post position four.

JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – Prompted by threatening skies at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning, the connections of Justwhistledixie decided to take her to the track a little earlier than planned for a 1 1/2-mile gallop under exercise rider Danny Wright.

“We went great. She went right on with her business,” said Neal McLaughlin, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s assistant and brother. “She’s ready to go.”

Justwhistledixie with break from post position five.

Justwhistledixie, who captured the Bonnie Miss (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park in her most recent start, will be seeking her sixth straight victory in the Kentucky Oaks. Her Bonnie Miss victory under jockey Julien Leparoux was the daughter of Dixie Union’s first trip around two turns.

“We’ve always felt that a mile and an eighth would be no problem. Her running style helps, because she stalks the pace,” McLaughlin said. “There was an abundance of speed in the race in Florida. One filly got loose on the lead, which made us move a little earlier than we wanted. When that filly opened up, Julien decided to go and not let her get away. She got even with that filly, then pulled away.”

McLaughlin expects the pace to be solid in the Oaks, and he also expects morning-line favorite Rachel Alexandra to be doubly tough after watching her spectacular workout on Monday morning.

“She’s an amazing filly. You hear a lot about fillies taking on the boys in the Derby. This filly is probably that caliber,” he said. “We’re going to have our work cut out for us, but if we have our best day and she doesn’t, who knows? If we both have our best days, we might be in trouble. But we’ve won five in a row, so we’re happy with her.”

NAN – J. Paul Reddam's Nan galloped a mile and a quarter before the renovation break under exercise rider Jose Castanon.

“She's doing good,” Aimee Dollase said. Aimee is the sister and assistant to trainer Craig Dollase. “Now all we need is some luck,” she added.

Corey Nakatani, a two-time Oaks winner, has the mount on Nan, who will break from post position seven.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – Hal Wiggins was standing at the gap by the clockers’ stand early Tuesday morning and trainer D. Wayne Lukas rode up on his pony.

“Hey Hal, your filly got a ‘2’ on the ‘Rag’ sheet yesterday,” Lukas said, referring to the :46.40 half-mile work put in by Wiggins’ Rachel Alexandra on Monday.

“But I didn’t get a dollar for it,” Wiggins said with a laugh. “She’s got to do it in the afternoon.”

Rachel Alexandra spent the morning out of the intermittent showers and walked the shedrow.

“Everything looks good,” Wiggins said of the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, who will break from post position six. “She got a little tired and I may walk her again tomorrow.”

Owned by L and M Partners, Rachel Alexandra enters Kentucky Oaks 135 on a four-race win streak with Calvin Borel having been aboard for all triumphs. One of those victories came in the slop at Fair Grounds on March 14 in the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks in which Rachel Alexandra won by 1 3/4 lengths while being eased up in the final sixteenth.

“It rained all day there that day; it never stopped,” Wiggins said. “They kept the track in good shape and stayed on top of it. It wasn’t a deep slop that day.”

So, any concerns about an “off” track here Friday?

“I don’t think she has ever worked on an ‘off’ track here,” Wiggins said, “But I don’t think it will affect her.”

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BE FAIR / TWEETER – Westrock Stables' Be Fair walked the shedrow at Barn 44 a day after working five furlongs in 1:00.20 in her final major drill for Friday’s 135th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I).  Exercise rider Omar Golon was aboard for the work on Sunday.  Rafael Bejarano has the riding assignment Friday in Kentucky Oaks 135.

“She's doing excellent,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.

Lukas’ other Oaks possibility, Marylou Whitney Stables' Tweeter, “breezed down the lane” according to the trainer. Exercise rider Taylor Carty was in the irons.

FLYING SPUR – Under exercise rider Joanna Trout, Flying Spur worked four furlongs in :48.40 and was timed in 1:01.80 galloping out another furlong.

“It looked nice,” trainer Bill Mott said. “We had a long wait before we worked, but she handled it well. It turned out OK. It was not a problem.”

Flying Spur’s breeze was scheduled to take place after the track reopened at 8:30 a.m. right after the renovation break, but was delayed when a loose horse ran into another horse in the stretch.  Garrett Gomez has the Oaks riding assignment on Mike Rutherford’s filly.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – The morning after she worked five furlongs in 1:00.40, the Medaglia d’Oro filly’s exercise for the day was limited to walking the shedrow at trainer Bob Baffert’s barn.  Baffert said the Sunland Oaks winner was fine the day following the breeze.

“She came out great,” Baffert said. “She looked great today.”

Owned by Arnold Zetcher, Gabby’s Golden Gal will be ridden in the Oaks by Victor Espinoza.

Baffert said he was impressed by the unbeaten Rachel Alexandra, who worked Monday morning.  “Man, she just looks fantastic,” Baffert said. “What a racemare. She’s a superstar.”

JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – After walking the shedrow for the previous two mornings, Justwhistledixie was sent to the track to gallop 1 1/2 miles just before the renovation break at Churchill Downs on Monday morning. Exercise rider Danny Wright was aboard the daughter of Dixie Union, who had worked four furlongs in :49 on Friday.

“She was happy today. She was fresh,” said Neal McLaughlin, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s assistant and brother. “She was excited. She didn’t want to stand and look like she normally does; she just wanted to get on with her gallop. That’ll get her back into her routine. (Tuesday) I’m sure she’ll stand longer and relax, but she’s real happy right now.”

Although exuberant about her morning exercise Monday, Justwhistledixie poses no problems for her connections.

“She’s really laid back. She’s really easy on herself. She’s not a difficult to train. She doesn’t try to do too much. She’s just very smart and very easy to train. She does everything right,” McLaughlin said. “In her races, she’s more of a stalking filly. If there’s no pace, she can be up front. If there’s pace, she can sit back. She doesn’t need anything, where a lot of other horses need the pace to themselves or other horses to go out there to set a lot of pace so they can close. She dictates her own race, so that’s really nice to have in a big race like this.”

Julien Leparoux, who was aboard Justwhistledixie for the first time during her victory in the Bonnie Miss (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park, has the return mount aboard the filly who will be seeking her sixth straight win in the Oaks.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam's Nan galloped 1 1/8 miles with exercise rider Jose Castanon aboard.

“She's doing very well,” Aimee Dollase said. Aimee is the sister and assistant to trainer Craig Dollase.

Aimee says she's enjoying the experience of Derby Week. It was Derby Week 1996 when she first came to Churchill Downs as a full-time employee in her family's stables. Her father, Wally, brought Alyrob to the Derby that year and they also had Jewel Princess, an Eclipse Award winner, running on Oaks Day.

“It was fascinating,” Aimee said. “Derby Week is like the Super Bowl. I was so caught up in all the excitement I thought it was like this all the time around here.”

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – Everything was ready to roll and Rachel Alexandra was preparing to break off for a half-mile work when the horn sounded signifying a loose horse on the track.

“Damn,” trainer Hal Wiggins muttered as he exited the clocker’s stand and headed to the track to take his stable star back to Barn 30.

A training accident closed the track for nearly 30 minutes, and during that time Rachel Alexandra cooled her heels back in the barn.

“I just wanted to keep her walking because I was worried she might tie up,” Wiggins said.

When the track reopened, Rachel Alexandra and jockey Calvin Borel returned to the track and sizzled a half-mile in :46.40, the fastest move of 26 at the distance over a track rated as “fast” on Monday morning.

Clockers caught Rachel Alexandra in fractions of :11.60, :23.20, :34.80, out five furlongs in :58.40 and six furlongs in 1:10.60.

“I had her in :46 and 2, :58 and 4 and 1:12 and 3,” said Wiggins, who was looking for a work in the 48-second range from the probable Kentucky Oaks favorite.  “I thought she went too fast, but Calvin swears she does that every time.  That is what she did at Oaklawn Park before the Fantasy; she worked in 47 and 3, but that’s just the way she is. I am glad to have one that can go that fast.”

Rachel Alexandra, owned by L and M Partners, is scheduled for a walk day on Tuesday and maybe Wednesday and then will gallop up to Friday’s race.

“At Oaklawn, I had postponed her work a day because the track was sloppy and I walked her two days after the work and then galloped the day before the Fantasy,” Wiggins said. “I’ll decide on Wednesday whether she’ll walk another day or go to the track."

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BE FAIR / TWEETER – Thomas Van Meter and Charles Kidder's Be Fair galloped an unspecified distance Saturday morning at Churchill Downs according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Lukas said the filly will work “possibly tomorrow” in her final major move leading up to Oaks 135.

Marylou Whitney Stables' Tweeter also galloped Saturday morning and Lukas said Tweeter will work Monday or Tuesday for a possible Oaks run.

Rafael Bejarano has the Oaks riding assignment on Be Fair, who was fourth in the Grade I Ashland at Keeneland on April 4 in her most recent start.

FLYING SPUR – Mike Rutherford’s Flying Spur galloped a mile and a quarter under Joanna Trout before the renovation break Saturday morning.

Trainer Bill Mott expressed satisfaction with the morning’s activity that occurred the same time Mott was on the track with Kentucky Derby contender Hold Me Back.

Garrett Gomez has the riding assignment on Flying Spur, who is expected to work on Monday.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – The heroine of the Sunland Park Oaks, Gabby’s Golden Gal, was out and doing some leg stretching at 6:45 Saturday morning, building up steam toward her date in Friday’s Grade I Kentucky Oaks.

Exercise rider George Alvarez was at the controls and took the Medaglia d’Oro filly through a mile and one-half gallop.

The Arnold Zetcher homebred is scheduled to have one more work prior to her date on the national stage. When would that work takes place, her silver-haired conditioner was asked?

“Sunday,” said Bob Baffert. “Looks like we’ll work her on Sunday.”

JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Justwhistledixie walked the shedrow at Barn 42 a day after working a half-mile in :49.

“Everything looks good this morning,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “She ate up good and probably will walk again in the morning.”

Julien Leparoux has the Oaks riding assignment on Justwhistledixie, who has won five consecutive races.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam's Nan walked the shedrow after putting in a five-furlong work Friday morning in 1:00:20.

Aimee Dollase, sister and assistant to trainer Craig Dollase, said “she came out of the work great and is looking great.”

Corey Nakatani has the Oaks riding assignment.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – L and M Partner’s Rachel Alexandra galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Rudy Gallegos shortly before 7 o’clock Saturday morning.

“I have been getting on her since last May and she just keeps getting better and better and stronger,” Gallegos said.

Trainer Hal Wiggins, along with his wife, Renee, and his mother, Joyce, watched the morning activity.
“I had a clocker at Oaklawn Park tell me he watches her every day and it is the same every day,” Wiggins said of the strong gallops put in by Rachel Alexandra.

Wiggins, a trainer for more than 30 years, plans to work Rachel Alexandra a half-mile on Monday morning after the renovation break with jockey Calvin Borel up.

No paddock or gate schooling is planned for Rachel Alexandra.

“Her disposition is so good, she won’t do either,” Wiggins said.

Follow the progress of your favorite Kentucky Oaks 135 contender daily through Churchill Downs' morning updates!

BE FAIR / TWEETER – Thomas Van Meter and Charles Kidder’s Be Fair galloped an unspecified distance.  Trainer D. Wayne Lukas says it’s up to the others to “figure out” how far she went.

Lukas says Be Fair will likely work Sunday or Monday.

Marylou Whitney Stables Tweeter is being pointed toward Oaks 135 according to trainer Lukas.  She’s lightly raced with just three lifetime starts.  Her lone win came in her most outing, a maiden special weight event at Keeneland on April 3, where she led from gate to wire.

Tweeter worked five furlongs in :59.80 on Thursday, the best of 30 at the distance.

FITZ JUST RIGHT / JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Justwhistledixie and Fitz Just Right put in their final works for the Kentucky Oaks with a matching set of :49 breezes Friday morning with exercise rider Danny Wright handling both moves.

Justwhistledixie, winner of five straight races, was first out and put up fractions of :12.60, :24.40, :37 and out five furlongs in 1:02.20. Next came Fitz Just Right, who posted fractions of :12.40, :24.20, :36.60 and out in 1:02.40 according to Churchill Downs clockers.

However, after the work, Fitz Just Right was found to have a chip in her right front ankle and was declared out of the Oaks by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

“When she came back, she was not 100 percent ,” McLaughlin said. “We x-rayed the ankle and discovered the chip. She will get some time off. She is going to the Woodford Clinic in Versailles with Dr. (William) Baker.”

McLaughlin liked what he saw from the fillies in the works.

“They did it very nice and easy. I got Fitz Just Right in 48 and 4, so I might have missed it a tick,” McLaughlin said. “It was just a maintenance work because they worked fast last week together (1:00 for five furlongs at Keeneland).”

Julien Leparoux has the riding assignment on Justwhistledixie, who came out of her work fine according to McLaughlin.

FLYING SPUR – Mike Rutherford’s Flying Spur galloped Friday morning with exercise Joanna Trout up.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the Churchill Downs’ all-time leader in victories and stakes scores, will be going after his initial Oaks victory with Flying Spur on Friday and try for a first Kentucky Derby win the following day with Hold Me Back.

Mott plans to work Flying Spur on Monday. Garrett Gomez, who won the 2007 Kentucky Oaks on Rags to Riches, is slated to ride Flying Spur on Friday.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – Arnold Zetcher’s Gabby’s Golden Gal galloped a mile and a half under George Alvarez.

Trainer Bob Baffert plans to work the Sunland Park Oaks winner on Sunday. Victor Espinoza has the Oaks riding assignment.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam’s Nan working in company with Mizzen’s Wake, drilled five furlongs in 1:00.20 with Jesus Castanon aboard for the work.

Breaking off six lengths behind Mizzen’s Wake, Nan caught her workmate at the wire to record the fastest move of 39 at the distance for the morning.

“She went great,” said Aimee Dollase, the assistant trainer and sister of trainer Craig Dollase.  Her brother is at his home base at Hollywood Park and not expected to attend the Oaks. Corey Nakatani has the Oaks mount.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – Likely Kentucky Oaks favorite Rachel Alexandra walked the shedrow at Barn 30 on Friday as a regular day off according to trainer Hal Wiggins.

Calvin Borel has the Oaks riding assignment and is scheduled to work Rachel Alexandra on Monday. L and M Partners LLC owns the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro.

Follow the progress of your favorite Kentucky Oaks contender through the Churchill Downs Notes Team, bringing you daily updates on the fillies preparing for the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 1.

BE FAIR – Four-time Kentuckcy Oaks-winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thomas Van Meter and Charles Kidder’s Be Fair “galloped strong” under exercise rider Omar Golon on Thursday morning at Churchill Downs. But how far did she gallop?

“Doesn’t matter,” Lukas said.  “She was strong.”

Rafael Bejarano has the Oaks mount on Be Fair, who will work Sunday or Monday.

FITZ JUST RIGHT / JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Fitz Just Right and Justwhistledixie galloped a mile and a half each after the renovation break with exercise rider Danny Wright handling both activities.

Neal McLaughlin, assistant to his brother Kiaran McLaughlin, said both fillies would work “probably a half-mile” after the renovation break Friday with Wright handling both works.

Ramon Dominguez will ride Fitz Just Right in the Oaks and Julien Leparoux has the call on Justwhistledixie.

FLYING SPUR – Mike Rutherford’s Flying Spur galloped under exercise rider Joanne Trout on her first day at Churchill Downs. The Bill Mott trainee has been stabled at Keeneland since finishing second in the March 14 Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II).

Mott said that Garrett Gomez would have the mount on Flying Spur in the Oaks and that the filly’s final pre-Oaks work likely would be Monday.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL – Arnold Zetcher’s Gabby’s Golden Gal galloped a mile under exercise rider George Alvarez for trainer Bob Baffert.

Victor Espinoza has the Oaks riding assignment on Gabby’s Golden Gal, who is slated for her final pre-Oaks work on Sunday or Monday.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam’s Nan galloped a “strong” 1 ¼ miles according to Wally Dollase,  who’s handling training duties for his son Craig while the younger Dollase takes care of other business on the West Coast.

Dollase says it’s not yet determined when Nan will put in her final work for Oaks 135. Corey Nakatani has the riding assignment for the Oaks.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – L & M Parnters LLC’s probable Kentucky Oaks favorite Rachel Alexandra galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break with exercise rider Rudy Gallegos up.

Trained by Hal Wiggins, Rachel Alexandra is scheduled to work a half-mile on Monday morning with Oaks rider Calvin Borel up

Churchill Downs has provided the following horse-by-horse update on preparations by the contenders for the 135th Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 1, 2009.

BE FAIR – Thomas Van Meter and Charles Kidder’s Be Fair galloped Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs with exercise rider Omar Golon up. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time winner of the Kentucky Oaks, has enlisted the services of jockey Rafael Bejarano to ride Be Fair in the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (GI).

FITZ JUST RIGHT / JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – West Point Thoroughbreds’ duo of Fitz Just Right and Justwhistledixie are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs from Keeneland on Wednesday afternoon. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainees will be housed in Barn 42. The fillies are scheduled to work Friday and McLaughlin will be on hand for the works. Ramon Dominguez has the riding assignment on Fitz Just Right and Julien Leparoux will partner Justwhistledixie in the Oaks.

FLYING SPUR – Mike Rutherford’s Flying Spur is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs from Keeneland on Wednesday afternoon and will be stabled in trainer Bill Mott’s barn (19). In her most recent start, Flying Spur ran second to probable Kentucky Oaks favorite Rachel Alexandra in the Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II) on March 14. Flying Spur, a homebred daughter of Giant’s Causeway, is a daughter of Lakeway, who ran second in the 1994 Kentucky Oaks.

GABBY’S GOLDEN GIRL – Arnold Zetcher’s Gabby’s Golden Girl jogged before the renovation break Wednesday morning under exercise rider George Alvarez. Trained by Bob Baffert, Gabby’s Golden Girl enters the Oaks off a 13-length victory in the Sunland Park Oaks on March 29. Victor Espinoza, who was aboard for the first time that day, has the Oaks riding assignment.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam’s Nan visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile and an eighth before the renovation break under exercise rider Jose Castanon. Trained by Craig Dollase, Nan is scheduled to work on Friday or Saturday. Corey Nakatani has the Oaks riding assignment.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – L and M Partners’ Rachel Alexandra continued to show her readiness for next Friday’s Kentucky Oaks by galloping a mile and a half under stout restraint from exercise rider Rudy Gallegos. “She is like that every morning,” trainer Hal Wiggins said. Calvin Borel, who has ridden Rachel Alexandra to four consecutive daylight victories, is scheduled to work Rachel Alexandra a half-mile on Monday as their final tuneup for the Oaks.

Churchill Downs is offering daily updates on the Kentucky Oaks contenders.  Read through the notes below to see how your favorite is training up to the big race!

BE FAIR – Trainer D Wayne Lukas said Tuesday morning that Rafael Bejarano will ride Be Fair in the 135th Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on May 1.

Owned by Thomas Van Meter and Charles Kidder, Be Fair walked the shedrow at Barn 44 a day after a five-eighths of a mile breeze.

FITZ JUST RIGHT / JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE – The West Point Thoroughbreds’ Oaks hopeful duo of Fitz Just Right and Justwhistledixie are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Wednesday afternoon after training at Keeneland.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, the two fillies will be stabled in Barn 42, Stalls 8-9 upon arrival.

Justwhistledixie, whose five race win streak includes a recent victory in the Bonnie Miss (GII) at Gulfstream Park, and Fitz Just Right, runner-up in the Bourbonette Oaks (GIII) at Turfway Park, are scheduled to work on Friday and McLaughlin will be at Churchill Downs to supervise those moves.

Ramon Dominguez is slated to ride Fitz Just Right and Julien Leparoux has the mount on Justwhistledixie, whom he rode to victory in the Grade II Bonnie Miss in her most recent start on March 29.   

GABBY’S GOLDEN GIRL – Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s Gabby’s Golden Girl walked the shedrow at Barn 33 a day after working five furlongs in 1:02 for trainer Bob Baffert.

“She’s good,” said Baffert.  “She’s tough, but man, that Rachel Alexandra is something.”

Baffert said Gabby’s Golden Girl would likely work Sunday or Monday to complete her preparation for the Kentucky Oaks.

Victor Espinoza has the Oaks riding assignment.

NAN – J. Paul Reddam’s Nan galloped a mile after the renovation break with exercise rider Jose Castanon up.

Trainer Craig Dollase said that Corey Nakatani will ride Nan in the Oaks. The High Yield filly is scheduled to work Friday or Saturday.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA – L and M Partners’ Rachel Alexandra galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break under regular exercise rider Rudy Gallegos.

Calvin Borel, who has ridden Rachel Alexandra to four consecutive victories, has the Oaks riding assignment.