Rail Trip still a go for the Californian

DiscreetCat

from Daily Racing Form:

Rail Trip, who lost for the first time in six starts May 9 in the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, remains on target for the Grade 2 Californian on June 13. Rail Trip was credited with a six-furlong workout Monday in 1:13.20.

"He actually went a little farther than that," trainer Ron Ellis said. "He went seven-eighths, but he started off pretty slow."

winparlay

After watching his last race, I think he may have proved that he's a "need the lead type around two turns".

DiscreetCat

Hard to say. He's clearly shown that he can stalk around one turn, and he seemed to be rating very comfortably in second last time, ready to pounce into the lane. I was rather shocked when he couldn't get by Ball Four in the stretch, but on the other hand, that one had been allowed to set some extremely soft fractions and definitely had a lot of gas left in the tank. But of course, the same goes for Rail Trip, and he only had a length or two to make up, and the entire stretch run to do it. Could be he's just not as good around around two turns, in fact that looks pretty likely right now. I haven't seen a better horse around one turn all year.

The Californian should be pretty damn interesting. I'm hoping that he can flourish around two turns, because i'd like to see him end up in the BC Classic with a big chance, but i do have some doubts. The Californian (and subsequently the Hollywood Gold Cup) will go a long way towards sorting that out.

winparlay

I know Ellis was really dissapointed after that race! He had a highly regarded 3yo the other day that didn't run well. I don't know if you were watching TVG but it was one of those days when they put the microphone on different people during the day and during that race Ellis made a comment that had to be "bleeped" out! The Horse wouldn't switch leads in the stretch.

DiscreetCat

from Daily Racing Form:

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - When Rail Trip made his graded stakes debut in the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park on May 9, he failed to make an early lead and wound up losing for the first time in his six-race career.

The tactics are changing for Saturday's $250,000 Californian Stakes, a Grade 2 race at 1 1/8 miles. Trainer Ron Ellis plans for Rail Trip to be prominent early, most likely on the lead, and hopes the 4-year-old gelding can show a career-best performance.

"I think he's a little better as a free-running horse," Ellis said.

Owned by Jay Em Ess Stable, Rail Trip was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Ball Four in the Mervyn LeRoy at 1 1/16 miles. He was within a half-length of the lead on the final turn but was no closer in the stretch.

"It was the first time he was in a little bit of a battle, and it might have caught him off guard," Ellis said. "He's trained well since that race."

Rail Trip is one of nine probable starters in the Californian, a key prep for the $700,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on July 11. Ball Four is part of a field expected to include Aitcho, Awesome Gem, Dakota Phone, Informed, Limestone Edge, the New Mexico invader Song of Navarone, and Ukiah.

On Sunday, Rail Trip worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds. Three other probable starters worked six furlongs - Aitcho in 1:13, Informed in 1:14, and Dakota Phone in 1:15.