Wet Your Whistle Rallies to Highlander Score
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Photo: Michael Burns
Wet Your Whistle wins the Highlander Stakes at Woodbine
David Palmer's Wet Your Whistle invaded from south of the border and closed with a strong late rally June 29 to win the CA$304,800 (US$232,806) Highlander Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
The 4-year-old gelded son of Stroll earned his first graded stakes score in the six-furlong turf sprint to build a four-race win streak for trainer Michael Trombetta that dates to a Dec. 16 allowance victory at Woodbine. Wet Your Whistle also won an April 25 allowance optional claimer at Laurel Park and the May 19 Get Serious Stakes at Monmouth Park last out.
Trombetta said he saw Wet Your Whistle move to another level after his win in December.
"We always thought he could do some good things, but that was the turning point for him," the trainer said. "He just learned to settle himself down just enough; he's a high-strung type of individual and he's learned to run when he's supposed to, and it's been a lot of fun."
According to Trombetta, the gelding's current form offers an abundance of options for the future.
"He's one of those kind of horses that he can do anywhere from 5 1/2 furlongs probably up to a mile," he said. "I think he definitely prefers one turn, but there's lots of options for him—and he'll do synthetic as well."
Although Wet Your Whistle broke slowly and was last of nine as 18-1 shot Yorkton showed the way through an opening quarter in :22.44 and a half in :44.87, jockey Alex Cintron kept his cool.
"The last couple times he didn't get out (of the gate) well, and I just left him alone," Cintron said. "He's been running well that way. I just tried not to change anything in this race. I just tried to ride the same race I rode the last time. And I think he ran better than the last time."
As the field turned for home with 7-2 Extravagant Kid taking over from the longshot leader through five-eighths in :56.14, Wet Your Whistle mounted a powerful run from the back of the pack, then accelerated with an even stronger kick in the final furlong to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
"It really surprised me, and I was impressed in the last quarter of a mile; he was flying and just exploded," Cintron said. "I had a ton of horse."
The final time was 1:07.88 on the E.P. Taylor turf course, which was rated firm. Extravagant Kid held for second and was followed by White Flag, who completed the trifecta. Off at odds of 7-2, Wet Your Whistle returned $9.30, $4.50, and $3.50. Caribou Club, favored at 5-2, was bumped at the start, outkicked, and finished fifth.
Wet Your Whistle was bred in Kentucky by E.H. Lane III out of the Belong to Me mare Winlocs Glory Days, whose last reported foal is an Algorithms 2-year-old colt. Wet Your Whistle, a $17,000 purchase from Beau Lane Bloodstock's consignment to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, improved his record to five wins and a third from 11 starts for earnings of $275,153.