by James Witherite
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Sorella ($3.60) sprinted clear of her 11 rivals on the far turn, amassing enough clearance to ward off a pair of stout late threats for a 1:51 score in the $600,000 Hambletonian Oaks on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 8) at The Meadowlands.
Sorella sprinted clear of Whose Blues on the first turn to control a :26.1 first quarter, and she remained uncontested through a :54.3 half before being nudged into the far turn by Next Level Stuff. The daughter of Muscle Hill shrugged off her outside challenger and sprinted off by three lengths on the turn to hit three-quarters alone in 1:22.3.
Despite the taxing fractions early, Sorella kept that clear margin intact until the final sixteenth, when Hypnotic AM — who circled four-wide on the final turn — and Panem started to encroach. Sorella was measured to the line, only receiving mild encouragement from driver Yannick Gingras to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Hypnotic AM narrowly finished second over Panem.
