Just a Game

Champion WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon) will attempt to rebound off a fifth-place

finish in the Jenny Wiley S. (G2) while taking on four rivals in the $300,000

Just a Game S. (G2) at Belmont Park on Saturday. The Todd Pletcher-trained

four-year-old was making her second start of the year in that 1 1/16-mile event,

which was moved from the turf and put on Keeneland's Polytrack. The gray miss

hopped at the start and never got a hold of the synthetic surface, eventually

finishing fifth. Wait a While is much better than that effort suggests, having

strung together four victories last year, including the Yellow Ribbon S.

(G1), before finishing a nice fourth against European Horse of the Year Ouija

Board (GB) in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). She owns

century-topping BRIS Speed ratings and appears ready to return to the winner's

circle with Garrett Gomez back in the irons.

MISS SHOP (Deputy Minister) has been doing quite well on the dirt of late,

taking the Rampart H. (G2) by 6 3/4 lengths in mid-March, but will be returning

to the turf over which she owns four wins. One of those turf

victories came in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf in her 2007 bow, after

which she finished fifth to Wait a While in the Honey Fox H. (G3). The Allen Jerkens-conditioned Miss Shop owns a 103 Speed figure for her Rampart score as

well as a 100 Speed rating for her Sunshine Millions victory, and could rally

to threaten for it all. Cornelio Velasquez has the call.

MAURALAKANA (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]) began her U.S. campaign in style, posting a

nice third in the Noble Damsel Breeders' Cup H. (G3) on Belmont's turf, before

just missing by a half-length in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge

Cup S. (G1) over Keeneland's grass. The Patrick Biancone-trained bay faced the

best in the world in her final start as a sophomore, running seventh in the

Breeders' Cup, and got a slight break before returning in the Jenny Wiley two

back. She led almost all the way home, but started falling back in the stretch,

ending up fourth. Mauralakana captured an allowance at Churchill in her most

recent start and could be rounding back into her previous form. She should be

tough in the exotics with Julien Leparoux holding the reins once again.

TAKE THE RIBBON (Chester House) made her seasonal bow in the Churchill

Distaff Turf Mile S. (G3) at Churchill last out, taking that mile turf test by a

nose while tying the career-best 103 Speed rating she earned when second in the

Garden City Breeders' Cup S. (G1) in September. The Wally Dollase-trained

four-year-old may need a race after that superb effort, but against this small

field should still be included in the top three at a price.

MY TYPHOON (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) rallied for the neck victory in the Jenny

Wiley last out, and was second in the Hillsborough S. (G3) in her first start of

the year prior to that one. The Bill Mott charge owns the numbers and class to

get the job done here, but her record at Belmont (3-0-0-2) encourages us to take

a shot against. We'll let the chestnut beat us.