1. A method, in a data processing system, for performing a look-ahead operation in a wake-and-go mechanism, the method comprising: issuing a look-ahead load command on a system bus to read a data value from a target address; performing a comparison operation to determine whether the data value at the target address indicates that an event for which a thread is waiting has occurred; in response to the comparison resulting in a determination that the event has not occurred, populating a wake-and-go storage array with the target address and snooping the target address on the system bus without data exclusivity; and in response to the comparison resulting in a determination that the event has occurred, issuing a load command on the system bus to read the data value from the target address with data exclusivity.