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Wait a While seeks Ballston Spa repeat WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon), the champion three-year-old filly of 2006, will pursue her second consecutive victory in the $200,000 Ballston Spa H. (G2) when she leads a field of five to the post on Thursday. A smashing 2 1/4-length winner of the 1 1/16-mile event last season, the Todd Pletcher-trained mare has been installed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line. John Velazquez, who last guided the gray in March 2007, will be reunited with the $1.8-million earner. After opening her 2008 campaign with an easy win in the San Gorgonio H. (G2) at Santa Anita in mid-January, Wait a While was sidelined by injury. She returned off a six-month freshening with an unplaced finish in the Diana S. (G1) earlier in the meet, dropping her first start over Saratoga's turf in three attempts. The classy mare is eligible to rebound with a much better showing on Thursday. Grade 1 heroine RUTHERIENNE (Pulpit) and 2007 Lake Placid S. (G2) winner SHARP SUSAN (Touch Gold) are her top rivals. The Christophe Clement-trained Rutherienne opened her four-year-old season with a victory over a strong field in the Jenny Wiley S. (G2) at Keeneland and will enter the Ballston Spa off a third in the Diana. She captured the Lake George S. (G2) over the course last year. Sharp Susan recorded a fast-finishing third in the 2007 Lake George and followed with a victory in the Lake Placid at the Spa. Trained by Bill Mott, the four-year-old lass closed powerfully to win the Dr. James Penny Memorial H. going away by 2 3/4 lengths at Philadelphia Park in her last outing. Grade 2 queen VALBENNY (Ire) (Val Royal [Fr]), runner-up in the 2007 American Oaks Invitational (G1), and last-out De La Rose S. winner CARRIAGE TRAIL (Giant's Causeway) round out the field. The $80,000 Old Red S. will be run one race earlier and an overflow of 13 distaffers, including two also-eligibles and a main-track-only runner, has been entered for the one-mile event on the inner turf. BACHATA (Kingmambo), CHESTORIA (Chester House), MEDLEY (GB) (Danehill Dancer) and WAQUOIT'S LOVE (Not for Love) are among the top contenders.
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