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Wait a While ties her second Yellow Ribbon round Oak Tree Arindel Farm's WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon) remained perfect over Santa Anita's turf course with a professional score in Saturday's $400,000 Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) at Oak Tree. The Todd Pletcher mare was taking home her second Yellow Ribbon trophy, having first won the event during her 2006 championship campaign, and now rates as a leading candidate for the October 24 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at this same course and distance. Breaking from the outside in post 10, Wait a While was soon maneuvered into a perfect tracking position by John Velazquez. Up front, Live Life (Fr) (Linamix) carved out steady fractions of :24 2/5, :47 4/5 and 1:12 1/5, followed by Solva (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) along the inside and Wait a While on the outside. The pacesetter began to beat a retreat on the far turn, and as Solva took command, Wait a While rapidly moved up to confront her. The even-money favorite surged to the lead at the top of the stretch and held off the game rally of Vacare (Lear Fan) by three-quarters of a length, finishing 1 1/4 firm-turf miles in 1:59. Wait a While returned $4, $2.80 and $2.10 and keyed the $1 exotics -- $7.20 exacta, $15.90 trifecta and $94.30 superfecta (10-2-4-8). "When we made the lead turning for home, I thought she was going to just open up, but instead she waited on those horses," said Velazquez, who was earning his 3,999th career victory. "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." "A lot of credit goes to John, getting her relaxed coming from the 10 hole," assistant trainer Mike McCarthy noted. "She got great position around the first turn." The 4-1 Vacare, who had raced in midpack early, yielded $4.40 and $2.80 for her sustained effort in second. Black Mamba (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe), the 5-2 second choice, closed belatedly for third and paid $2.20. Marzelline (Ire) (Barathea [Ire]) checked in fourth to complete the superfecta at 16-1. Valbenny (Ire) (Val Royal [Fr]), I Can See (Flying Chevron), High Heel Sneakers (GB) (Dansili [GB]), Solva, Gula Gold (Mula Gula) and Live Life rounded out the order under the wire. With this 11th career stakes score to her credit, Wait a While now sports a mark of 23-12-3-4 and a bankroll totaling $2,181,917. The five-year-old mare was an authoritative winner of the San Gorgonio H. (G2) at Santa Anita in her 2008 bow, and in her most recent outing, she won her second straight edition of the Ballston Spa H. (G2). Last season, in addition to the Ballston Spa, she captured the Honey Fox H. (G3), and placed in the Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1), Matriarch S. (G1) and Just a Game S. (G2). During her 2006 campaign, the gray landed the American Oaks Invitational S. (G1), Yellow Ribbon, Lake Placid S. (G2), Davona Dale S. (G2) and Sands Point S. (G3), a record which earned her the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old filly. Her resume also lists a victory in the 2005 Miss Grillo S. and four other stakes placings, including the 2006 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Ashland S. (G1). Bred by W.S. Farish and W. Temple Webber Jr. in Kentucky, Wait a While was sold for $260,000 at the 2005 OBS February sale as a two-year-old in training. She is the first registered foal from the winning A.P. Indy mare Flirtatious, who has also produced an unraced juvenile colt named Class Flirt (Pleasantly Perfect) and a yearling full sister to the winner. Wait a While's granddam is Grand Charmer (Lord Avie), a Grade 3 winner on the grass. The family traces to the Northern Dancer mare Sleek Dancer, whose notable descendants include 1987 Irish Derby (Ire-G1) hero Sir Harry Lewis, 1994 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (Jpn-G1) winner Chokai Carol, multiple stakes victor and sire Northern Prospect and 2000 Ramona H. (G1) queen Caffe Latte (Ire).
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