by Mike Curry

Champion Wait a While has thrived on the Southern California turf throughout her career and on Saturday she reaffirmed her class on firm ground with a three-quarter-length score in the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.

The five-year-old Maria’s Mon mare has four graded stakes wins and one runner-up finish in five career starts in California, including victories in 2006 in the Yellow Ribbon and American Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1) that helped secure the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old filly.

Wait a While cemented her status as a top contender for the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) on October 24 at Santa Anita Park with the win, which guaranteed her a starting spot in the race as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

Wait a While stalked the pace from third under John Velazquez as Live Life (Fr) set the tempo through an opening quarter in :24.53 and a half-mile in :47.83 in the 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares. Wait a While powered forward from three wide to seize command on the far turn and swept clear as the even-money favorite.

“On the far turn she was really running comfortably, and when we made the lead turning for home, I thought she was going to just open up, but instead she waited on those horses,” Velazquez said. “When Vacare came to her outside, though, she dug in and got it done.  She’s going to be real tough [in the Breeders’ Cup] on this course.”

Grade 1 winner Vacare closed gamely from sixth and Black Mamba (NZ) finished eagerly after jockey Garrett Gomez guided her to an opening on the inside, but neither seriously threatened Wait a While.

“I kept on looking for Black Mamba, and by the time I saw her, it was too late,” said Mike McCarthy, assistant to Pletcher. “I thought it set up just like I thought it would. The filly just inside of us would show the way, and we were able to follow her around there. She was able to pick it up and march on about her business.”

Runner-up Vacare was one length clear of Black Mamba, who was trapped in traffic in the stretch and split foes while rallying from ninth to finish third for trainer John Sadler.

“I’m very pleased with her race,” Sadler said. “A good one for her. We had troubles. [Jockey Garrett Gomez] didn’t get to run with her the way he wanted, but that’s the way it came up. If she gets to run clean, I’ve no doubt she would have been second.”

Wait a While improved to 12 wins in 23 career starts and boosted her earnings to $2,181,917. She is the first winner from two foals to race out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Flirtatious.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor