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Dixie works; Fitz out of Oaks West Point Thoroughbreds' JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE (Dixie Union) and FITZ JUST RIGHT (Seattle Fitz [Arg]) put in their final works for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Friday, each breezing a half-mile in :49 over Churchill Downs' fast main track with exercise rider Danny Wright aboard. Justwhistledixie, winner of five straight races, was first out and put up fractions of :12 3/5, :24 2/5 and :37 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02 1/2. Next came Fitz Just Right, who posted fractions of :12 2/5, :24 1/5 and :36 3/5 while galloping out five-eighths in 1:02 2/5, 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 (Kentucky) with Dr. (William) Baker." "It's tough for all of us. This really is the worst part of our business," said West Point Thoroughbreds President Terry Finley. "It was just a fluke thing, she's been doing so well over the last month, and then after her breeze this morning, she had some heat in that ankle. We will always do what's best for our horses, and what's best here is to give her time to heal. "It's obviously extremely disappointing, but she'll be back. She's a tough filly and we're excited about the rest of her 2009 campaign going forward." 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 four, 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.
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