Rail Trip
 

Back with Ron Ellis.
Some people around here are happy.

He never should have left Ron Ellis barn in the first place. I am surprised he is still running and burning peoples money. Is he a gelding?

The horse had a few OK races and is basically a laimo that has done enough.

They should have sent him backin time to run on the synthetic at HOL.

Dirt wasn't the problem.

It seemed to me that he didn't get good trips or have any race luck this year. Hope that Mr. Ellis can get him right.

This is being really kind. He has not had much run at all this year.

Dirt may not the "the" issue but his form was clearly far better on synthetic. Can't hurt to get him back on his preferred surface.

'Tis the season. :)

But really, up until his JCGC 5th in October, 2010 (top 3 finishers Haynesfield, Blame & Fly Down, pretty good company), he had finished in the money every time, so when I look at what has happened since then (4-0-2-0) I try to find a reason. Or perhaps an excuse. In June he gets headed by Friend Or Foe in the Easy Goer. So far so good. In August's Whitney he gets bumped at the start, goes 3 wide and so yes, gets beaten again by some pretty good company, never really recovering from the bad start. In September's Pot O'Luck he gets caught up in a speed duel, but still manages to finish second, but then in November he stumbles at the start and loses Dominguez. So I feel like he just needs some race luck, and maybe some careful race placement, to get back on track.

The only track giveaway that I ever wanted (besides the SA calendar) was the picture of Rail Trip winning the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup. :)

I keep it rolled up in my desk (I don't have much horsie stuff out because everyone in my family insists that it's cruel). :rolleyes:

We'll find out I guess. How do we know it is his preferred surface? He never ran on dirt while "in form". Something is amiss, and I doubt a surface switch is going to help.

He'll run a huge race off a layoff for Ellis, then you won't see him forever.

I'm surprised he wasn't entered for the Malibu.

Wow

I think hes messing around.

He wanted to enter Declan's Moon in the Malibu when he was a 4yo.

I thought Siegel had a legitimate Malibu player in Redeemed but she insisted when on the show they were aiming at the Donn. With the way this race came up, you would think he'd have had a big shot cutting back and closing into this group.

Betfair Hollywood Park - May 28, 2012

Race 8 - 4:41 PM
Los Angeles H. (Grade III)

1 Rail Trip (KY) 7/G L J Valdivia, Jr. 120 R W Ellis
2 Dancing in Silks (CA) 7/G L M Gutierrez 114 A K Saavedra
3 Sway Away (KY) 4/C L M Garcia 117 J Bonde
4 Centralinteligence (KY) 4/G L J Rosario 114 R W Ellis
5 Don Tito (FL) 5/H L K Krigger 115 J W Sadler
6 Camp Victory (VA) 5/G L J Talamo 118 M R Mitchell
7 Roman Threat (KY) 4/G L R Bejarano 118 B Baffert
8 M One Rifle (CA) 6/G L M E Smith 115 B Headley

Rail Trip clearly had issues over and above surface preference and quality of competition out west vs east.

IMO, he was clearly a very good horse when Ellis had him.

What he has left is anyone's guess, but they usually don't have as much left after all the problems he's had. I'm actually hoping he can recover some good form. The more the merrier.

That's a nice group! Glad you posted it or I might not have seen it.