Wet Your Whistle keeps early lead for Belmont Turf Sprint win

ELMONT, N.Y. - After failing to find success early in his career going long on turf or dirt, Wet Your Whistle seemed to have developed a niche as a come-from-behind turf sprinter.

On Sunday, Wet Your Whistle found himself on the lead soon after the start, and with an escort from Backtohisroots - who unseated his rider at the start - Wet Your Whistle breezed to a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational at Belmont Park.

Chewing Gum rallied up the fence to get second by a nose over a five-wide rallying Archidust. Fog of War was fourth followed by Holiday Stone, Battle Station, and Big Wonder.

Backtohisroots stumbled leaving the gate, unseating jockey Jose Lezcano. He completed the course riderless and was later caught by an outrider. Lezcano did get up and walked off the course on his own power, but did take off his final mount on the card.

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The win was the seventh from 16 starts for Wet Your Whistle, a son of Stroll owned by David Palmer who last year won the Grade 1 Highlander at Woodbine, rallying from last.

Wet Your Whistle is not Breeders’ Cup nominated, so it would cost Palmer $100,000 to supplement him to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

“That’s painful,” trainer Mike Trombetta said upon learning the horse is not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup.

Jockey Jose Ortiz said he wasn’t planning to be on the lead with Wet Your Whistle. But when Backtohisroots stumbled, the horse went to the right, preventing the expected speed horses Big Wonder and Battle Station from being able to attain a forward position.

“My horse broke really sharp out of the gate and he was willing,” Ortiz said. “I led him to the spot. I just played it by ear and I’m just glad it worked out.”

Wet Your Whistle set fractions of 22.47 seconds and 45.16 before completing six furlongs in 1:07.87. He returned $19 to win.

Trombetta, who watched the race from his home in Maryland, said he was surprised to see Wet Your Whistle on the lead.

“Looking at the form, it did occur to me there was very little speed in the race, but not for a minute did I think I’d be in front,” Trombetta said. “I figured he’d be a lot closer. It was a little bizarre, but we’ll take it any way we can get it.”