Adoration ready for revival

ARCADIA, Calif. - Saturday's $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap at Santa Anita offer a variety of challengers for Adoration.

A two-time stakes winner at Hollywood Park earlier this year, Adoration is making her first start since finishing sixth in the Delaware Oaks in July. In addition, the 3-year-old Adoration meets older fillies and mares for the first time in the Maddy, which is run over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

While those factors may prevent Adoration from being favored in the Maddy, she does bring a solid turf record to the race. Owned by Amerman Racing, Adoration won the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes last May at Hollywood Park. She was entered for the Grade 2 Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap on Oct. 2, but was withdrawn on race day.

After Adoration worked on turf last weekend - five furlongs in 1:00.40 - Hofmans chose the Maddy over Monday's Ramser Handicap over a mile on turf.

"She's training like her old self," Hofmans said. "I really like the way she worked on the turf. She's very fresh. I'd be a little afraid to run her long.

"I think she'll be better going short. There'll be speed in there."

The Grade 3 Maddy has drawn 12 runners and is an outstanding betting race. Several fillies and mares have a realistic chance of winning a race where a lucky trip could be the difference.

Aside from Adoration, the top contenders are I'm the Business, and Rolly Polly.

Rolly Polly is the 119-pound highweight and likely favorite. A 4-year-old, Rolly Polly won the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Handicap on the hillside turf course in April, but was winless in three starts during the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Rolly Polly is a stalker. In the Las Cienegas, she was sixth when the field crossed over the main track, but made up more than five lengths to win impressively.

I'm the Business won the Hillsborough Handicap over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Bay Meadows on Sept. 28. She was a game second to Voodoo Dancer in the Grade 2 Palomar Handicap over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Sept. 8.

Others with outside chances include Always the Lady, Brocky's Dream, Wild Tickle, and Gabrielina Giof, all of whom have been stakes-placed in the last year.

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