The Los Angeles Handicap will feature the return of 2009 Hollywood
Gold Cup winner Rail Trip as well as defending champion Camp Victory.
Owned by Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable, Rail Trip has returned
to the barn of Ron Ellis after going 0-for-5 in New York during a span
of more than 13 months for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr.
Away since unseating jockey Ramon Dominguez in the $57,000 Sunny and
Mild Stakes last Nov. 17 at Aqueduct, Rail Trip has won five of eight
over Cushion Track and was second in his three defeats.
A 7-year-old gelded son of Jump Start and the Carson City mare Sweet Trip, Rail Trip has won eight of 17 and earned $1,116,790.
The Los Angeles will be the first start at six furlongs for the
Kentucky bred since he won an allowance by 3 ½ lengths here in the
second start of his career Dec. 20, 2008.
Declared the winner a year ago after Amazombie was disqualified and
placed third, Camp Victory would be only the second horse to win this
race twice if successful Monday. Native Diver won in 1965 and 1967 for
owners Mr. and Mrs. L.K. Shapiro and trainer Buster Millerick.
Trained by Mike Mitchell for Roger Featherston, Gordon Jacobsen and
Tom Miller, Camp Victory, a 5-year-old Forest Camp gelding out of the
Victory Trick mare Clever Trick, has seven wins in 21 starts and
earnings of $355,986. He has won two of eight since claimed by his
current connections for $40,000 Feb. 13, 2011.
Ellis, who won this race with Timeless Answer in 1990, also entered Centralinteligence.
Owned by Amerman Racing LLC, Bongo Racing
Stable, Gary Finder and Elias Sabo, the 4-year-old Smarty Jones gelding
out of the Seattle Slew mare Shootforthestars has won three of seven and
banked $14,550. He graduated over Cushion Track last July 16.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will seek his first Los Angeles win with the lightly-raced Roman Threat.
A 4-year-old gelded son of Roman Ruler and the Flying Chevron mare
Shameful, he has a win in two starts for owner-breeders Patti and Hal J.
Earnhardt III.
After defeating maidens March 11 at Santa Anita, Roman Threat
stepped into the Grade II Potrero Grande and wound up second, defeated
by three-quarters of a length by 2011 sprint champion Amazombie. The
dark bay has earned $63,600.
Trainer John Sadler, who has won the L.A. Cap a record five times, will be represented by Don Tito.
Owned by Gary and Cecil Barber and Larry Nestadt, the 5-year-old son
of Trippi and the Southern Halo mare Another Moochie is 4-for-15 with
earnings of $165,103.
The most recent of Sadler’s Los Angeles victories was with Cost of
Freedom – also owned by the Barbers – in 2010. His other wins: Red Arrow
(2009), Hombre Rapido (2003), Olympic Prospect (1988) and Rosie’s K.T.
(1986).
M One Rifle, who was moved up to second due to Amazombie’s
disqualification a year ago, has lost eight in a row since winning the
Cool Frenchy May 7, 2011.
Owned by breeders Ed Bernstein, Brian Greenspun, Irwin Molasky and
trainer Bruce Headley, the 6-year-old One Man Army gelding out of the
Bertrando mare Leanessa has won five of 21 and has a bankroll of
$533,142.
Headley is a three-time Los Angeles winner – Street Boss (2008), Kona Gold (2002) and Son of a Pistol (1999).
Dancing in Silks will be shooting for his first win since his 25-1
upset in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The 7-year-old gelding has lost
10 times since with his best finish a pair of thirds.
Owned by Ken Kinakin, the son of Black Minnaloushe out of the Royal
and Regal mare Lemhi Love will be making his second start for trainer
Anthony Saavedra. A winner of seven of 23 with earnings of $1,500,401,
Dancing in Silks had been trained previously by Carla Gaines and Kathy
Walsh.
Fourth as the 2-1 second choice in the Potrero Grande, Sway Away
returns to the scene of his last win for Bonde and Batman Stable, Phil,
Bennett and Everett Lebherz, Cindy Olsen, Anthony Sharp and Glen
Wallace.
A 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex and the Seattle Slew mare Seattle
Shimmer, Sway Away is 2-for-9 with earnings of $206,800. He won a
seven-furlong allowance by a neck in his lone Cushion Track race last
June 19.
From inside out, the field for the Los Angeles Handicap: Rail Trip,
Jose Valdivia, Jr., rides, 120 pounds; Dancing in Silks, Mario
Gutierrez, 114; Sway Away, Martin Garcia, 117; Centralinteligence, Joel
Rosario, 114; Don Tito, Kevin Krigger, 115; Camp Victory, Joe Talamo,
118; Roman Threat, Rafael Bejarano, 118 and M One Rifle, Mike Smith,
115.