"She worked good, and she's been training good," said the filly's trainer, Gene Cilio. "But after her work, upon scoping her, we found that she had a minor infection and a little mucus (in her throat). It's nothing serious; it will clear up in a week. But with the importance of the race and the quality of the race, we didn't want to run her unless she was 110 percent."Cilio said he routinely scopes his horses after workouts leading up to important races.
Scoop dropped out of the Kentucky Oaks hunt Tuesday morning, clearing the way for Santa Anita Oaks runner-up Flute to run in Friday's big race. Flute's status was in question Monday after trainer Mark Hennig said he was expanding his Oaks entry from two to three fillies. The race's field is limited to 14 runners, with preference given to those with the highest earnings. Flute had only $96,000 in earnings, which ranked her 15th after Hennig told Daily Racing Form he would add Raging Fever to his entry of Tap Dance and Mystic Lady."I think I deserve to win this race after all the aggravation I've been through," said Flute's trainer, Bobby Frankel.Scoop, winner of the 2001 National Jockey Club Oaks, worked a half-mile in :49 2/5 Tuesday morning. When she was examined endoscopically after the breeze, an infection was detected in her throat.