Wait a While (USA)
March 4, 2003 – Living
Maria’s Mon (USA) x Flirtatious (USA), by A.P. Indy (USA)
Family 9-f
March 4, 2003 – Living
Maria’s Mon (USA) x Flirtatious (USA), by A.P. Indy (USA)
Family 9-f
After she won the Gulfstream Park’s Davona Dale Stakes (USA-G2) by 14 lengths in February 2006, Wait a While was looked on as a highly promising candidate for the Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1). However, she won only one of five subsequent starts on dirt, though she was never out of the money during this skein. Switched to turf for the American Oaks Invitational Stakes (USA-G1), she showed a new dimension, winning by 4½ lengths. She remained on turf for the rest of her career. Honored with the Eclipse Award as American champion 3-year-old filly in 2006, she continued to race well at ages 4 and 5 before retiring to the broodmare ranks. To date, she has not distinguished herself as a matron.
Race record
24 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$2,181,917
2005:
2006:
2007:
2008:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, 9 pounds below overall highweight Invasor (the American Horse of the Year) and 5 pounds below the top turf female, multiple Group 1 winner Pride.
Rated at 116 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings, 14 pounds below co-highweights Curlin (the American Horse of the Year) and New Approach (the European champion 3-year-old male) and 12 pounds below the top turf female, European champion 3-year-old filly Zarkava.
As an individual
An agile and handy gray mare, Wait a While had a deep girth and an excellent shoulder but was more impressive before the saddle than behind it. She was good on dirt, handling both fast and sloppy surfaces, but was better on turf. She preferred to stalk the pace. She was sometimes difficult at the starting gate and was easiest to handle there when blindfolded. She suffered a knee injury at the end of her 4-year-old season and missed 6 months of her 5-year-old season with a fractured left tibia. She had an intense, sometimes aggressive disposition that made her difficult to ride and train as she wanted to do too much for her own good, to the point that she would not eat well if allowed to train as intensively as she was inclined to do.
As a producer
As of April 1, 2025, Wait a While has produced nine named foals, of which five have started and three have won. None of her foals have earned black type or produced a black-type runner.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Wait a While was bred by William S. Farish and W. Temple Webber Jr. A US$50,000 yearling at the 2004 Keeneland September sale, she resold for US$260,000 as a 2-year-old in training at the 2005 Ocala Breeders’ Sales February sale. She was owned by Arindel Farm (Alan and Karen Cohen) and was trained by Todd Pletcher.
Pedigree notes
Wait a While is inbred 4x5 to 1966 American Horse of the Year Buckpasser, a four-time American champion broodmare sire. She is one of only four foals produced by the winning A.P. Indy mare Flirtatious, whose Grade 3-placed half sister True Feelings (by Latent Heat) is the dam of stakes winner Feeling Mischief (by Into Mischief).
The next dam in Wait a While’s tail-female line, Grand Charmer (by Lord Avie) won the 1995 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3). She is a half sister to Private Feeling (by Belong to Me), dam of two-time American champion Lookin At Lucky (by Smart Strike), multiple Grade 2 winner Kensei (by Mr. Greeley), and multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Shahama (by Munnings).
Regal Feeling, the dam of Grand Charmer, is listed stakes-placed. Sired by the good Icecapade horse Clever Trick, she is out of 1978 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) winner Sharp Belle (by Native Charger), whose stakes-winning half sister Sue Babe (by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of 1987 Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1) winner Sir Harry Lewis (by Alleged), Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Sir Richard Lewis (by Carr de Naskra), and Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Cyrano (by Seattle Slew). Produced from the unraced Northern Dancer mare Sleek Dancer, Sharp Belle is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Northern Prospect (by Mr. Prospector) and to Sleek Belle (by Vaguely Noble), dam of 1984 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Witwatersrand (by Mr. Prospector) and stakes winners Sleek Gold (by Mr. Prospector), Chic Belle (by Mr. Prospector), and Sleek Feet (by Seattle Slew).
Fun facts
Last updated: April 3, 2025
Race record
24 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$2,181,917
2005:
- Won Miss Grillo Stakes (USA-L, 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
2006:
- Won American Oaks Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Hollywood)
- Won Yellow Ribbon Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Davona Dale Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Lake Placid Stakes (USA-G2, 9FT, Saratoga)
- Won Sands Point Stakes (USA-G3, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Ashland Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs; from 4th by disqualification)
- 3rd Bonnie Miss Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
2007:
- Won Ballston Spa Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Saratoga)
- Won Honey Fox Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Just a Game Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Matriarch Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Hollywood)
- 3rd Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
2008:
- Won Yellow Ribbon Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Santa Anita)
- Won San Gorgonio Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Ballston Spa Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Saratoga)
- Also finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (USA-G1) but was disqualified due toi a drug positive.
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old filly (2006)
- Eclipse Award finalist, American champion turf female (2006)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, 9 pounds below overall highweight Invasor (the American Horse of the Year) and 5 pounds below the top turf female, multiple Group 1 winner Pride.
Rated at 116 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings, 14 pounds below co-highweights Curlin (the American Horse of the Year) and New Approach (the European champion 3-year-old male) and 12 pounds below the top turf female, European champion 3-year-old filly Zarkava.
As an individual
An agile and handy gray mare, Wait a While had a deep girth and an excellent shoulder but was more impressive before the saddle than behind it. She was good on dirt, handling both fast and sloppy surfaces, but was better on turf. She preferred to stalk the pace. She was sometimes difficult at the starting gate and was easiest to handle there when blindfolded. She suffered a knee injury at the end of her 4-year-old season and missed 6 months of her 5-year-old season with a fractured left tibia. She had an intense, sometimes aggressive disposition that made her difficult to ride and train as she wanted to do too much for her own good, to the point that she would not eat well if allowed to train as intensively as she was inclined to do.
As a producer
As of April 1, 2025, Wait a While has produced nine named foals, of which five have started and three have won. None of her foals have earned black type or produced a black-type runner.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Wait a While was bred by William S. Farish and W. Temple Webber Jr. A US$50,000 yearling at the 2004 Keeneland September sale, she resold for US$260,000 as a 2-year-old in training at the 2005 Ocala Breeders’ Sales February sale. She was owned by Arindel Farm (Alan and Karen Cohen) and was trained by Todd Pletcher.
Pedigree notes
Wait a While is inbred 4x5 to 1966 American Horse of the Year Buckpasser, a four-time American champion broodmare sire. She is one of only four foals produced by the winning A.P. Indy mare Flirtatious, whose Grade 3-placed half sister True Feelings (by Latent Heat) is the dam of stakes winner Feeling Mischief (by Into Mischief).
The next dam in Wait a While’s tail-female line, Grand Charmer (by Lord Avie) won the 1995 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3). She is a half sister to Private Feeling (by Belong to Me), dam of two-time American champion Lookin At Lucky (by Smart Strike), multiple Grade 2 winner Kensei (by Mr. Greeley), and multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Shahama (by Munnings).
Regal Feeling, the dam of Grand Charmer, is listed stakes-placed. Sired by the good Icecapade horse Clever Trick, she is out of 1978 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) winner Sharp Belle (by Native Charger), whose stakes-winning half sister Sue Babe (by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of 1987 Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1) winner Sir Harry Lewis (by Alleged), Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Sir Richard Lewis (by Carr de Naskra), and Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Cyrano (by Seattle Slew). Produced from the unraced Northern Dancer mare Sleek Dancer, Sharp Belle is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Northern Prospect (by Mr. Prospector) and to Sleek Belle (by Vaguely Noble), dam of 1984 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Witwatersrand (by Mr. Prospector) and stakes winners Sleek Gold (by Mr. Prospector), Chic Belle (by Mr. Prospector), and Sleek Feet (by Seattle Slew).
Fun facts
- Wait a While was the first turf-based filly to win the Eclipse Award in the 3-year-old filly division.
- Wait a While was the first filly or mare to win the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (USA-G1) twice.
- Wait a While’s drug positive was for procaine penicillin, which her veterinary records showed was last administered 18 days prior to the 2018 Breeders’ Cup as treatment for a fever. The normal time for the medication to clear the system was 14 days. Wait a While’s connections battled the disqualification for over a year before finally conceding defeat. Ironically, California later changed its racing rules; under the new regulations, Wait a While’s test would not have resulted in a violation.
- Wait a While became the namesake for a stakes race at Gulfstream Park.
Last updated: April 3, 2025