How to bet the 2022 Sorrento Stakes

A most intriguing field of six two-year-old fillies will go postward in Saturday’s $200,000 Sorrento S. (G2) at Del Mar. The six-furlong dash attracted a fascinating cast, including a trio from the barn of Doug O’Neill. His #5 Satin Doll (5-1) is my top pick.

The $60,000 yearling purchase debuted at Del Mar on July 23 and broke slowly from the gate, sitting near the back of the pack at the first call in the five-furlong dash. She picked up momentum approaching the turn for home and strode home a 1 1/2-length winner at 31-1 odds.

Satin Doll posted a maintenance half-mile drill in the interim, and I expect her to improve in her second career engagement. The Congrats filly is proven on the oval, and she earned a solid Brisnet Late Pace number at first asking, suggesting that more ground will suit her just fine. Ramon Vazquez will guide the nice prospect.

#1 Procrastination (8-5) was bet to favoritism on debut and lived up to the hype with an eight-length romp at Los Alamitos on July 4. The Not This Time chestnut led throughout at first go and has trained well since, led by a swift gate drill on the Del Mar oval.

The $72,000 purchase drew the rail which leads me to believe that she will be sent hard from the break. She is the one to catch and beat with Ricardo Gonzalez back in the stirrups.

O’Neill’s #6 Absolutely Zero (9-5), the second choice on the morning line, is two-for-two to this stage of her development and gets a nice outside post position. The stakes-winning daughter of Nyquist beat the boys in her latest venture, and it says something that the Golden State-bred has been odds-on in both of her assignments.

Absolutely Zero has posted three local drills in preparation for Saturday and is an obvious contender with regular guide Mario Gutierrez in the silks.

Sorrento Wagers

• $20 win: #5 Satin Doll ($20)
• $10 exacta: box 1-5 ($20)
• $1 trifecta: 1, 5 with 1, 5, 6 with all ($16)