A rubber composition for use in a tire tread is disclosed. The rubber composition comprises a diene elastomer, a pre-hydrophobated silica, a blocked mercaptosilane, a resin, and a relatively low molecular weight polybutadiene functionalized with a hydroxyl functional group. The pre-hydrophobated silica is hydrophobated prior to its addition the rubber composition by treatment with at least one silane selected from the group consisting of alkylsilanes, alkoxysilanes, organoalkoxysilyl polysulfides and organomercaptoalkoxysilanes and optionally at least one dispersing aid selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, diethylene glycols, polyethylene glycols, fatty acid esters of hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated C 5 or C 6 sugars, polyoxyethylene derivatives of fatty acid esters of hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated C 5 or C 6 sugars.