Ontario-bred Warrawee Michelle, last season’s Breeders Crown divisional champion, made swift amends from a tepid beginning to her sophomore season with a victory in the $729,167 Hambletonian Oaks on Saturday, Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.

Trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt pushed off the wings with Warrawee Michelle out of post two to secure a seat in fourth as her stablemate French Champagne (Andy Miller) motored forward with Miss I La (Joe Bongiorno) to take the lead after a :26.2 first quarter. R Melina (Todd McCarthy) followed French Champagne’s brush to the backside and soon planted herself onto the lead all while Svanstedt sat cozy in fourth, but with even-money favourite Elista Hanover (David Miller) on his back.

R Melina strode by the half in :54.3 as Elista Hanover tried to get started on the outside, forcing Svanstedt’s hand to send Warrawee Michelle into action. Warrawee Michelle advanced from the flush through the final turn and loomed nearer to R Melina heading to three-quarters in 1:23.3.

Completing the turn, Warrawee Michelle spurted forward to a lead that quickly widened as R Melina got hooked with the fast-closing Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn) to her inside and French Champagne to her outside. The added cushion proved enough for Warrawee Michelle, as she then evaded a late push from last year’s Dan Patch divisional champ Buy A Round (Andy McCarthy) down the center of the track to win in 1:51.2 by a half length. Allegiant (Scott Zeron) rallied from third-over for third and Miss I La emerged around the stretch traffic for fourth.

The Oaks win for Warrawee Michelle, her first victory of the year in four outings, was just her second start following a minor throat operation.

“She had some problems and we did the throat surgery,” said Svanstedt after the race. “After that, she was normal again. She raced good last time and today she was super. We were out early and horses were coming from behind, but I gave her full speed as we came through the stretch.”

Warrawee Michelle, who wrapped her freshman season with a win in the $700,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot, became just the 11th filly in harness racing history to achieve the Crown-Oaks double, which was last accomplished by 2018 Oaks winner Manchego. Trainer/driver Svanstedt scored his first victory in the Hambletonian Oaks and capped off a five-win day for his stable.

A daughter of Walner out of the Yankee Glide mare Sound Check, Warrawee Michelle was bred by Warrawee Farm of Rockwood, Ont. and races for U.S. owners Åke Svanstedt Inc., Santandrea Inc. and Young Guns. She earned her fifth win from 13 starts and has now earned $834,524.

Sent off as the sixth choice in the betting, she paid $29.20 to win.

(With files from Hambletonian Society)