Mervyn LeRoy H. (gr. II)
(gr. II , 8.5f ,)
RAIL TRIP
(B g,
121
lb) $90,000
Jump Start —Sweet Trip , by
Carson City
B—Donarra Thoroughbreds, LLC,
KY.;
O—Jay Em Ess Stable;
T—Ronald W. Ellis
Sangaree
(CH h,
115
lb) $30,000
Awesome Again —Mari's Sheba , by
Mari's Book
B—Stonerside Stable,
KY.;
O—Darley Stable;
T—Bob Baffert
Cigar Man
(DK B/ g,
114
lb) $18,000
Drewman —Foxey's Last Key , by
Big Bold Sefa
B—Charles Spence,
FL.;
O—Manzani, Ron and Sarno, Russell;
T—Vladimir Cerin
Margins: 3¼, 1¼, nose. Others: Tres Borrachos 115($9,000) , Dakota Phone 117($3,000) , Slew's Tiznow 115 , Art Currency 116 . Winning Jockey, Rafael Bejarano.
Rail Trip, who had been shelved for eight months leading up to the May 8 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II), sure didnÕt let his lack of recent racing experience affect his performance in the Hollywood Park race.
Sent off as the 1-2 favorite, the son of Jump Start drew away from six foes in the Mervyn LeRoy, which marked the initial step in a quest to defend his title in the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) July 10. The Mervyn LeRoy was named after an American film director who was a racing enthusiast and one of Hollywood ParkÕs founders.
Trained by Ron Ellis for owners Mace and Samantha SiegelÕs Jay Em Ess Stable, Rail Trip completed the 11Ú16-mile Mervyn LeRoy on Cushion Track in 1:42.37. The win was his seventh in 10 starts and boosted his earnings to $877,790.
Samantha Siegel, a Southern California-based conformation and pedigree expert, has campaigned several other stakes winners in addition to Rail Trip, including 2010 grade III winner Arson Squad and other graded victors DeclanÕs Moon, Love of Money, and Suave.
Bred in Kentucky by Donarra Thoroughbreds, Rail Trip is likely to next surface in the $150,000 Californian Stakes (gr. II) at 11Ú8 miles June 12.
The bay gelding was bought for $200,000 by Jay Em Ess at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale from Eaton Sales, agent.
Rail Trip is out of the winning Carson City mare Sweet Trip. A daughter of the stakes-winning Skywalker mare Stellar Affair, Sweet Trip is a half sister to multiple stakes producer Whisperifyoudare (by Red Ransom).
Rail Trip is the first foal and first starter produced by Sweet Trip, whose last reported offspring is a 2-year-old Stormy Atlantic filly.
Jump Start is the sire of 19 stakes winners, including other 2010 added-money winners Bold Start, Dryfly, and Icabad Crane. Jump Start stands for $10,000 at Terry BrattonÕs Ghost Ridge Farms near Brogue, Pa.ÑE.M.
