by Tim Nichols

Wait a While stalked pacesetter Sharp Susan from second and launched her winning bid in upper stretch en route to a one-length win in the $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (G2) on Thursday at Saratoga Race Course.

Wait a While, the 2006 champion three-year-old filly, cruised to a repeat victory in the Ballston Spa. Wait a While completed 1 1/16 miles on firm turf under John Velazquez in 1:39.70. The winning time was less than a second off the course record on 1:38.91, set by Fourstardave on July 29, 1991.

The Ballston Spa victory could erase any thoughts that Wait a While may have lost a step following her seventh-place finish in the Diana Stakes (G1) on July 26 at Saratoga in her previous start for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Arindel Farm.

“I think firm turf is the biggest key,” Pletcher said. “We kind of had everything working against us last time [in the Diana]. We had an outside post and we were hung out wide all the way around there. It was actually a little better race than it looked, and it came up such a tough race.”

The Ballston Spa unfolded perfectly for the five-year-old Maria’s Mon mare as Sharp Susan set a solid early pace while Wait a While rated in second, within three lengths of the leader through fractions of :23.93, :47.08, and 1:10.39 for six furlongs.

Velazquez moved the 0.85-to-1 favorite to the outside and What a While accelerated near the quarter pole and took charge in upper stretch. She drove clear in the final furlong, leaving the rest of the field to battle for second.

Runner-up Carriage Trail was 1 1/2 lengths clear of Grade 1 winner Rutherienne.

Wait a While recorded her second Grade 2 win of the year on Thursday and the ninth graded stakes win of her career. She opened the season with a 1 1/2-length win in the San Gorgonio Handicap (G2) on January 14 at Santa Anita Park.

“She’s a special filly,” Pletcher said. “She was a champion at three and she’s won some tremendous races. Two Ballston Spas and her Lake Placid [Stakes (G2)] as a three-year-old were awesome races. This is her fourth year at Saratoga, so when you have one that long, it gets a little extra special.”

Out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Flirtatious, Wait a While increased her career earnings to $1,941,917.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Tim Nichols is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY assistant editor