Wait a While

Wait a While
Bill Denver/Equi-Photo

2003, Maria's Mon - Flirtatious, by A.P. Indy

Breeder: W. S. Farish and W. Temple Webber Jr. (Ky.)

Owner: Arindel Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Regular Rider: Garrett Gomez

Pedigree

Wait a While
Maria's Mon
Flirtatious
Wavering Monarch
Carlotta Maria
A.P. Indy
Grand Charmer
Majestic Light
Uncommitted
Caro (IRE)
Water Malone
Seattle Slew
Weekend Surprise
Lord Avie
Regal Feeling

Purchase Info

Consigned to February 2005 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. selected two-year-olds in training sale by Blazing Meadow Farms, agent. Purchased for $260,000 by Alan and Karen Cohen's Arindel Farm under the name Ocala Horses.

Pedigree Highlights

Late sire Maria's Mon was the 1995 champion two-year-old colt and was unplaced only once in seven starts.

As a sire, in addition to Wait a While, Maria's Mon sired 2001 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Monarchos and Louisiana Derby (G2) winner High Limit among 34 stakes winners to date.

One of the leading sires in 2006, Maria's Mon died unexpectedly last year from what was tentatively diagnosed as multiple organ dysfunction. He was only 14.

Dam Flirtatious was a winner and earner of $171,266. Wait a While is her first winner.

This is the family of Grade 1 winner Sharp Belle.

Race Record

AgeStarts1st2nd3rdEarnings 
39512$1,226,637
46221$406,000
51100$90,000

At 3: 1– American Oaks Invitational S. (G1), Yellow Ribbon S. (G1), Lake Placid S. (G2), Davona Dale S. (G2), Sands Point S. (G3), 2– Ashland S. (G1), 3– Kentucky Oaks (G1), Bonnie Miss S. (G2)

At 4: 1– Ballston Spa H. (G2), Honey Fox H. (G3), 2– Matriarch S. (G1), Just a Game S. (G2), 3– Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1)

At 5: 1– San Gorgonio H. (G2)

Last Start

Third in Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1) on Sept. 29 at Belmont

Contender Status

Wait a While, last year's champion three-year-old filly, was a bit slow to get untracked this year, but finally showed her earlier form on August 23 when she unleashed a powerful four-wide move approaching the stretch and drew off to a comfortable 2 1/4-length victory in the Ballston Spa Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.

In her previous start, the June 9 Just a Game Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park, Wait a While finished second to My Typhoon (Ire), but jockey Garrett Gomez felt the filly wasn't quite right.

Trainer Todd Pletcher gave her 2 1/2-months off before the Ballston Spa, and it was obviously the right call.

"Things haven't gone exactly right with her until today," Pletcher said after the Ballston Spa victory. "She showed that she is as good today as she has ever been. I thought she was impressive."

The rejuvenated filly followed that performance with a good run in the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1) on Sept. 29 at Belmont Park, tracking leader Rosinka from second for almost the entire 1 1/4-mile distance before weakening late to finish third.

"I though I sat a good trip," jockey Garrett Gomez said. "I got her on her feet and she was able to relax. I thought we were going pretty comfortably. When it came time, she really didn't seem to jump up on the bridle. Maybe this will be a springboard forward. Both times I rode her on this turf course, she ran sub-par."

Pletcher was fully aware of Gomez's opinion about the filly not handling the Belmont inner turf course as well as other tracks and will train her up the the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1).

Wait a While finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs.

Recent Works

October 21 - Five furlongs breezing in 1:04.11 at Belmont Park, inner turf course soft. Ninth best of ten workouts at the distance.

October 14 - Four furlongs breezing in :50.24 at Belmont Park, inner turf course yielding. Sixth best of 12 workouts at the distance.

Quotable

Trainer TPletcher, concerned about the weather for the Breeders' Cup and the possibility of rain:

"You never want to scratch out of a race that you think you have a decent shot in. I don't think she likes soft turf, but I am sure that the turf course at Monmouth won't be as chewed up as the turf here at Belmont. It may come down to a tough decision."