My Typhoon had ridden a three-race win streak into Thursday afternoon’s 19th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap, and because her last victory, came here in the Grade 1 Diana on July 28, it was little wonder that 18,043 fans made her their post-time favorite.

But Arindel Farm’s Wait a While and her jockey, Garrett Gomez, had other plans in this mile and a sixteenth inner turf course event for fillies and mares.

Having been beaten at Keeneland and Belmont Park by My Typhoon in Wait a While’s most recent starts, Gomez decided to follow that leader around the turn and when he asked, Wait a While took off for a 2 ¼-length victory in 1:40. It was worth $8 to the $2 win players.

Wait a While, a 4-year-old Maria’s Mon filly, improved to nine wins from 17 career starts. Her most recent losses were a fifth in the Grade 2 Jenny Wiley on Keeneland’s Polytrack and a second in the Grade 2 Just A Game at Belmont Park, both races won by My Typhoon.

“People may have lost some respect for her,” said Wait a While’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, who snapped an 0-for-30 streak here. “Her one race was on a Polytrack; obviously, that was a throw-out. My Typhoon has been a better mare this year, and we let her get away with a :25 opening quarter in the Belmont race. After that race, she went to California, but got sick. Things haven’t gone exactly right with her until today. She showed today that she is as good today as she has ever been. I thought she was impressive.”

Despite getting bumped at the start by in-foal Iron Goddess, Wait a While settled three-wide while Pommes Frites went out on an uncontested lead to set fractions of :24.09; :47.95; and 1:11.24. Gomez kept her clear, and she kicked away with authority when he asked for her run.

“I was glad to have that good move back at the end,” Gomez said. “The last time I rode her at Belmont, she might have been on the edge of getting sick or something, because she was actually in a great spot, but when I pressed the button on her, she just didn’t go anywhere and it was kind of disappointing. But today it was nice to have what I expect from her, and that is her kicking home and being the professional and true champion that she is. It’s nice to have her back.”

Trainer Christophe Clement ran second and third, respectively, with Vacare and Meribel.

“Both fillies made their run,” Clement said. “They were second and third-best. I thought Vacare ran a big race off the layoff. Still, you can’t take anything away from the winner.”

Pommes Frites was fourth, a neck ahead of Dance Away Capote. My Typhoon beat only Iron Goddess.

“She tried real hard; unfortunately, she got a little traffic on the turn,” said My Typhoon’s trainer Bill Mott. “But I don’t think she could have beaten the winner. The winner was much the best today. But my filly ran real good, and hopefully, we can get a rematch.”

Amansara and Mauralakana were scratched.