Fresh off a breakthrough 2020 campaign in which he won the O'Brien Future Star Award, Austin Sorrie had a successful follow-up as the 22-year-old driver continued to rise to new heights with his first million-dollar season in 2021.
The Prince Edward Island native, who made the move to Ontario for 2019, was just shy of the million-dollar mark last year even with an abbreviated racing season due to the COVID-19 shutdowns in the province. But Sorrie soared over the money mark this year, driving winners of nearly $1.5 million in purses and cracking the top 10 leaderboard for earnings in Canada through December 13.
Sorrie also topped the 200-win mark for the first time, climbing to sixth in the driver standings for wins nation-wide with 204. He's been a force on the Ontario B tracks, ranking in the top five at Flamboro Downs, The Raceway at Western Fair District, Grand River Raceway, Georgian Downs and Hanover Raceway.
“Driving in Ontario is one of those things I wanted to do and said, ‘I’ll give it a shot,’” Sorrie, the son of Montague, P.E.I. horseman Wade Sorrie, was quoted as saying in a recent Saltwire article by Nicholas Oakes. “I didn’t really want to be working another job and doing horses like I’d have to if I stayed home.”
With support from fellow Island native Patrick Shepherd in Ontario, Sorrie was able to prove his talents and began garnering the attention of more and more trainers while seeing his driving opportunities increase.
“He gave me the odd drive here and there and got me started,” said Sorrie of Shepherd. “Being second choice for him at the start made a big difference.
“I was with Patrick a year, then worked for Blake MacIntosh for a few months and since then I’ve just been driving. Once the trainers know you’re there and you’re doing good, you start picking up the good horses to drive.”
Sorrie's success took off and he racked up 10 wins at Woodbine Mohawk Park this year.
“I never thought it would take off like this,” said Sorrie. "It’s not like I’m going there with a stable to drive for; I’m getting listed by everybody. I didn’t plan on going to Mohawk when I did, but everyone was gone to the Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands for a couple weeks the end of October.
“Then Doug [McNair] was heading out west for a Thursday, so I went and got drives. Then everyone came back and I kept most of my drives.”
The dedicated reinsman will look to continue his winning momentum at Ontario's premier racetrack and other ovals across the province in 2022.
(With quotes from Saltwire)