Rolly Polly a logical choice

ARCADIA, Calif. - The presence of the three-times stakes winner Rolly Polly didn't scare away many participants for Tuesday's $100,000 Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita.

A maximum field of 12 fillies and mares have been entered for the hillside turf race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. There are two mares on the also-eligible list.

Rolly Polly is the 122-pound topweight who is seeking to extend her unbeaten streak on the hillside course to four. The wins include an allowance race last February and two subsequent stakes - the Las Cienegas Handicap in April and the Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap in October. Most recently, she won the Safely Kept Handicap at Hollywood Park on Nov. 17.

Rolly Polly, a 4-year-old, races for Wildenstein Stable and is trained by Bobby Frankel. Patrick Valenzuela has the mount. He was aboard for the win in the Maddy, but was serving a suspension in November and missed the Safely Kept.

"The last time I rode her, she ran a great race down the hill," Valenzuela said. "I don't think she'll have any problems with this field."

Rolly Polly drew the outside post. Her typical style is to rate near the rear of the field and rally through the final quarter-mile. In her four wins this year, she has never won by more than three-quarters of a length, giving her backers a few anxious moments.

Rolly Polly's biggest threat in the Monrovia is Lil Sister Stich, who won the California Cup Distaff on the hillside turf course on Nov. 2. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Lil Sister Stich returned to finish second in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Hollywood Park. Like Rolly Polly, she is unbeaten on the hillside course, having also won a $62,500 claiming race on Oct. 13.

The large field shouldn't bother Les Yeux Mauves. Trained by Julio Canani, Les Yeux Mauves won over 19 opponents in a seven-furlong handicap at Deauville in August 2001. She was winless in five starts this year and hasn't started since August.

The race also drew stakes winners Adoration, Company B, Gabriellina Giof, I'm the Business, Medalha Milagrosa, Onslaught, Pina Colada, and Repository.