Rail Trip was an 8-1 outsider in the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup, a race he won by three lengths in a performance that was one of the finest of his career. This season, his two races have been equally as dazzling, wins in the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on May 8 and the Grade 2 Californian Stakes on June 12. Rail Trip was not fully extended in those races, but he faces a tougher test from six rivals in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup over 1 1/4 miles at Hollywood Park on Saturday. In this year's Gold Cup, he will be heavily favored by bettors and on the minds of the other riders in the race. It's quite a change from last year, when he was dismissed in the Gold Cup. "I think a lot of people gave up on him," trainer Ron Ellis said. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=5365545
i'll definitely try to watch this tomorrow. interested to see him and richards kid go at it since richards kid beat him last year in the pacific classic. should be a good race.
