The moment when trainer
Ron Ellis puts the saddle on
Rail Trip
for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile there will be a feeling of accomplishment and
pride after a long journey together and at times, apart. The Breeders’ Cup will
be an accumulation of hard work, hardship, and perseverance for the unlikely
duo.
The Jay Em Ess Stable owned Rail Trip started his career in the
barn of Ron Ellis. The gelding’s stardom shined bright from day one. He broke his maiden stylishly under the
faithful hands of Ellis’s go-to jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. He dominated the
maiden field in his first career start at Hollywood Park while winning by some
3 1/2 lengths in a shocking time of 1:07.94. From that day on Ellis knew he had
something special.
Rail Trip under Valdivia Jr. went on to rip off 5 wins in a row
at the age 3 and 4. He scored his first stakes victory in the Santana Mile at
Santa Anita Park. He tasted defeat for the first time in the grade II Mervyn LeRoy
Handicap at Hollywood Park. The son of
Jump Start eventually rebounded to win the prestigious grade I Hollywood Gold
Cup in only his second year of racing while defeating the likes of Life is
Sweet, Bullsbay, and eventual Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile victor, Dakota Phone. After the Gold Cup he ran up against the best
horses in the country in the grade I Pacific Classic. The Jump Start gelding ran
his heart out but was narrowly defeated by Richard’s Kid and Einstein.
Rail Trip sparkled early on as a 5 year old. He avenged his
loss in the 2009 Mervyn Leroy Handicap with a dominating 3 ¼ length victory in
the 2010 edition. Ellis had the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the back of his mind
in 2010 especially after his easy victory in the grade II Californian stakes at
the 9 furlong distance at Hollywood Park. After a 2nd place finish in the
2010 Hollywood Gold Cup, Jay Em Ess moved their star to the east coast and out
of the barn of a broken hearted and stunned Ron Ellis and into the barn of
Richard Dutrow.
I don’t know if it was the cold weather, the surfaces in New
York, or just the fact he was away from his trainer and friend in Ellis, but
Rail Trip was never the same in the Big Apple.
In nearly two years under Dutrow, Railtrip really never sniffed the
winner’s circle. The gelding was eventually moved back into the welcoming arms
of Ellis this past spring.
Ellis brought Rail trip along slowly while making his return
to the races in the grade III Los Angeles handicap at 6 furlongs where he
reunited with Valdivia. This was the first time Rail trip had sprinted since
the second start of his career. The gelding showed signs of life running 4th
in the graded stake. He came back to run
second in an allowance race at Hollywood Park where he showed a nice turn of
foot only losing by a ½ length in his second start back in the Ellis Barn.
All the disappointment and adversity was put to rest in the
grade II San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. Valdivia put the Ellis charge into the
race early, stalking the pace of John Scott. The two battled through the
stretch as Valdivia set the Jump Start gelding down and the “Trip” gave him all
that he had showing his heart and grit while scoring the grade II victory by a
gutsy ½ length. All was right in the
world, Rail Trip was back in Ellis’s barn and he was back in the winner’s
circle.
Rail Trip has taken on the best the west coast has to offer
in his last two races with defeats to classic division leader Game On Dude, and
Derby 3rd place finisher Dullahan. Rail Trip will appreciate the cut
back in distance in the Mile and his tactical speed should put him in striking
distance early.
The Breeders’ Cup always has the feel-good stories, the
under-dog, the forgotten one, and now it has a reunion story. I can
think of nothing better than a trainer with the character of Ron Ellis teaming
up with the heart of Rail Trip to score a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile victory with
a jockey as well liked as Jose Valdivia Jr!