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Oaks Entrants
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Trainer |
Jockey |
Owner |
Breeder |
A native of Dallas, TX, Pletcher grew up around Thoroughbred racing as his father, Jake Pletcher, trained Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in animal science, he went to work for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. He stayed with Lukas for six years, eventually becoming his main East Coast assistant trainer. Pletcher went out on his own in 1996 and he currently trains for such powerhouse owners as: Michael Tabor of Coolmore, Aaron and Marie Jones, Padua Stables, and Eugene Melnyk. In less than 10 years, Pletcher has conditioned such top-class performers as Ashado, Left Bank, Speightstown, Strong Hope, Forest Danger, Flower Alley, Balto Star and others. While he has been very successful since taking out his license, 2005 was a banner year for the Pletcher stable. He set a season earnings record in 2005 with his horses winning more than $20.8 million in purses, surpassing the previous record of $19.1 million set by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel. With that stellar year, Pletcher was awarded the Eclipse Award for the second consecutive year as the top trainer in the land. After going winless with his first 12 Breeders' Cup starters, Pletcher won two races in the event in 2004: the Sprint with Speightstown, and the Distaff with Kentucky Oaks champ Ashado. Both would also go on to be Eclipse winners in their respective divisions. Pletcher’s best Derby finishers to date are Invisible Ink, second in 2001, and a fourth place with Limehouse in 2004. |
Garrett Gomez was born on January 1, 1972. A native of Tucson, he now lives in southern California, where he rides on the circuit. He began riding at Santa Fe Downs in 1988, riding the midwest fair circuit before moving to California in 1998. He won the autumn Hollywood riding title that same year. He also has ridden for a time at Churchill Downs, where he was based before a self-imposed sabbatical in 2002 due to substance abuse problems. Returning to the saddle in September, 2004, Gomez has enjoyed tremendous succes, including winning the 2005 spring/summer Hollywood meet title. He's won major races for the last twelve years, including Arkansas Derby, the Secretariat, the Pacific Classic and most recently this year's Breeders' Cup Mile and Juvenile. A winner of over 2,000 races for his career, Gomez tallied 245 wins and $14.2 million in earnings last year. |
Founded in 2004 by Alan and Karen Cohen, Arindel Farms is located in Ocala, Florida. Mr. Cohen is the founder and Chairman of Abrika Pharmaceuticals, real estate development company JBC Group and the founder and former Chairman and CEO of Andrx Corporation, a publicly traded pharmaceutical company. Mr. Cohen is also the owner, Chairman and CEO of the Florida Panthers NHL team located in Sunrise, FL. Mr. and Mrs. Cohen and their five children reside in Weston, Florida
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William S. Farish is the owner of Lane's End Farm, one of the world's premier Thoroughbred farms encompassing approximately 2,000 acres outside of Lexington, KY. The farm hosts a massive roster of more than 20 stallions including perennial top sire A.P. Indy, and it is annually a top consignor of racing prospects at the various prestigious auctions around the country. A Houston, TX native, Farish is a lifelong horseman and one of the more recognized figures in the industry. Aside from being the U.S. Ambassador of Great Britain from 2001-2003, Farish served as Chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs from 1992-2001 and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Keeneland Association. He has been everything from a Steward and Vice Chairman of The Jockey Club, to a Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Breeders' Cup. Farish bred such champions as Charismatic, Lemon Drop Kid and the aforementioned A.P. Indy. He also bred and owned recent champion and 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft (currently standing at Lane's End) with partner Temple Webber Jr., who is also a Houston, TX resident and owns several Thoroughbreds. |
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04.29.06 :: Wait a While's Final Breeze For Oaks - Video Update 
04.08.06 - Bushfire Too Fast For Balance, Wait a While In Ashland
04.06.06 - Ashland Presents Tough Final Tune Up For Balance
03.05.06 - "All Others" Favored Over Wild Fit, Balance, Champion Folklore In Pool 2 Of Kentucky Oaks Future Wager
03.05.06 - Teammate, Miraculous Miss Surprise Sunday At Gulfstream
03.03.06 - Pletcher Holds Strong Hand Sunday With Wait a While, India
02.06.06 - Wait A While Leaves All Others Behind in Davona Dale
02.04.06 - Wait a While Delays Start, Then Romps In Davona Dale
02.03.06 - Davona Dale Attracts Wonder Lady Anne L, Wait A While
02.03.06 - Wonder Lady Anne L Makes '06 Debut In Davona Dale
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DRF Past Performances
Next Race: 05.05 Kentucky Oaks (GI)
Future Wager Odds
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Pool # |
Date |
Horse # |
Final Odds |
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3 |
04.06-09 |
21 |
15-1 |
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2 |
03.02-05 |
21 |
22-1 |
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1 |
01.26-29 |
20 |
49-1 |
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Race History :: Graded Earnings: $226,500 (as of 04.08.06) - Race Record: 7-3-1-2
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Date |
Race |
Finish |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Comments |
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04.08.06 |
Ashland (GI) |
2nd |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Stalked inside early; couldn't catch a loose Bushfire |
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03.05.06 |
Bonnie Miss (GII) |
3rd |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Pressed Teammate, no match; lost place late to Wonder Lady Anne L |
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02.04.06 |
Davona Dale (GII) |
1st |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Cruised in the slop by 14 lengths |
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11.26.05 |
Demoiselle (GII) |
3rd |
Chart |
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Video |
Clear lead into stretch; faltered |
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10.23.05 |
Miss Grillo |
1st |
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Video |
Well clear; wrapped up late |
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09.28.05 |
Maiden Special Weight @ Belmont |
1st |
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Checked backstretch; dominated in lane |
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08.29.05 |
Maiden Special Weight @ Saratoga |
5th |
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Bothered start; green |
Recent Workouts
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Date |
Track |
Distance |
Time |
Rank |
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04.29 |
Churchill Downs |
5 furlongs (fast) |
1.03:40 B |
41/48 |
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04.22 |
Churchill Downs |
4 furlongs (good) |
49.00 B |
3/7 |
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04.04 |
Palm Beach Downs |
4 furlongs (fast) |
48.40 B |
1/1 |
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Wait a While is a daughter of the 1995 2-year-old champion colt Maria's Mon and is gray in color like her sire. As a racehorse, Maria's Mon was precocious, capturing 4-of-5 starts as a juvenile including a pair of Grade I wins - a feat no other juvenile accomplished that year - in the Champagne and Futurity at Belmont Park. He retired prematurely due to injury after only two starts at three and was sent to stud at Pin Oak in 1997. Maria's Mon became an immediate success at stud, siring 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos in his first crop, which secured himself a place in history as a stallion. Besides Monarchos, he has sired 21 additional stakes winners, most notably High Limit (GII), See How She Runs (GI), and Gaff (GIII). Maria's Mon comes from the same female family as Marfa, winner of both the Santa Anita Derby (GI) and Jim Beam Stakes (GII) at age three, and he possesses several stamina influences in his immediate family, including Majestic Light, Buckpasser, Caro and Naskra.
Wait a While is the first foal out of the regally bred A.P. Indy mare Flirtatious, winner of four races at two and three with career earnings of $171,266. Like Maria's Mon, Flirtatious also retired prematurely, as she captured her last two starts running through the allowance ranks on the Kentucky circuit and looked to be an emerging graded stakes-caliber filly before getting injured. Racing under the familiar green and gold chevrons of Wait a While's breeder Will Farish of Lane's End, Flirtatious excelled around two turns and at a route of ground, and she ran some pretty solid speed figures in doing so. Flirtatious ran behind the likes of graded stakes-winning fillies Spain (champion) and Atelier, and she was of the quality as a racehorse to provide as a stellar broodmare, especially with her elite pedigree.
Her family is also loaded with strong stamina influences, including the Seattle Slew sire line and Lord Avie on the maternal side. The Maria's Mon out of an A.P. Indy mare cross gives Wait a While 4x5 inbreeding to the prolific stallion Buckpasser.
Dosage Index: 2.43
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WAIT A WHILE sure looked good when she destroyed a good field in the Davona Dale (GII) at Gulfstream Park back in February. She came back to be tiring third as the favorite in the Bonnie Miss (GII) and followed that up with a good second behind the runaway winner Bushfire in the Ashland (GI). The Keeneland race was hard to judge, as the track's notorious speed bias was well in evidence, and the field was well strung-out. Wait a While has the potential to bounce back and run a big race here, but it will be curious to see how she reacts to new rider Garrett Gomez, a more than capable replacement for the injured John Velazquez. Gray filly is the co-second choice in the morning line at 5-1, behind only Balance, a horse she beat in the Ashland. The Todd Pletcher trainee should be near the front from the outset, the style she used in both her main track wins. Chances are good to hit the board, even better for the win with the off track.
- Mark Hoard |
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Oaks Information
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