(Chart, Equibase)
Arindel Farm's Wait a While ran her winning streak to three with an easy 4 3/4-length in the $150,000 Lake Placid (gr. IIT) on the inner turf course at Saratoga Friday.With the victory, the Maria's Mon filly is on target for the the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT) at Keeneland on Oct. 14. The Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) or NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4 could follow. "It was a dominant performance," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "You don't see horses in turf races dominate as often as she has. She is one of those special fillies that can do a little bit of everything. She won the American Oaks (gr. IT) at a mile and a quarter. She won here at a mile and an eighth. She's actually competitive on dirt, but this is her true calling: on the turf."Jockey Garrett Gomez had an easy time with Wait a While, who saved ground to the first turn, then slipped outside to target long shot pacesetter Art Show, who loped along on a pace of :24.50, :48.99 and 1:12.35. On the turn, Gomez let Wait a While go and she delivered a winning kick that brought her home in 1:46.59 over the firm course. "This is a beautiful filly," Gomez said. "I can put her anywhere I want I could have taken the lead any time I wanted to, but I got her to the outside and sat in the garden spot and just waited. When I asked her, she just exploded for me. It is always a pleasure to ride horses like these." Wait a While, who paid $4.10, $2.30, and $2.10, has now won six of 11 lifetime starts."There was no excuse today," said Patrick Biancone, trainer of runner-up Lady of Venice, who was ridden by Julien Leparoux and paid $2.30 and $2.10. "She was in a perfect spot behind the horse to beat. We were beaten by the better horse today."Dancing Band ($2.80) was 1 1/2 lengths back in third, followed by Art Show and Diamond Spirit. Citronnade, entered for the main track only, was scratched.