Driver Chris Christoforou had two starts and two wins in Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots competition on Saturday, July 25 at Hiawatha Horse Park as the Hall of Fame reinsman made his first pari-mutuel starts since sustaining injuries from an accident in January.

Christoforou, who is set to compete in the Legends Day Invitational Trot on Sunday at Clinton Raceway, took his first two wins of the year as he piloted Exactly Correct and Tilthecowscomehome to victories in $30,000 Grassroots third-leg contests for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

First was Exactly Correct, whom he seated in fifth from post two through a :26.3 quarter and to near a :56 half, when he lunged the gelding to the outside and flushed out Lyons Gustavofring (Scott Coulter). Exactly Correct followed that gainful cover past three-quarters in 1:24.1, then tipped three-wide on the last turn and chased down leader Thirty Six Red (Paul Davies) while holding off the fast-closing Hall Of Fear (Jason Ryan) by a head in 1:52.3. Hall Of Fear was second, followed by Thirty Six Red.

Exactly Correct, representing Christoforou’s first drive back, took his first victory in the OSS program and improved to three-for-seven this year. The son of Bettors Delight-In Other Words is trained by Camilla Christoforou for owners Irvann Holdings Inc. of Toronto, Ont. and Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville, Ont. He is now four-for-11 lifetime with $53,950 in earnings. The win price was $2.80.

Tilthecowscomehome provided the driver a comfortable stakes double, posting a 4-1/2-length win in the second division. The Cattlewash-Dance Until Dawn colt tracked an early battle between Neverleaveharlan (Lorne House) and Goin For Broke (Brady Galliers) past a :26 quarter, then once the dust settled, hustled to the top. Tilthecowscomehome put up :54.3 and 1:23.2 middle panels and put away final-turn challenger Bajan Firefly (Scott Young) before streaking clear to the 1:51.3 victory. Plankton Hanover (Austin Sorrie) nabbed second from Bajan Firefly.

Tilthecowscomehome also collected his first OSS victory — after six finishes in the triactor in his six prior attempts — and opened his account at three in his fifth outing. The colt now three-for-17 lifetime and has earned $415,144 for trainer Carl Jamieson, who co-owns him with Jody Jamieson of Guelph, Ont., Joanne Morrison of Beeton, Ont. and Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta. Tilthecowscomehome paid $3.10 to win.

The other Grassroots winner was P L Taco ($6.10), who charged from third to capture the final split in 1:52.1 for driver Jason Ryan and trainer Jodie Cullen. He beat Dax Seelster (Austin Sorrie) by a half-length with Scorpion Seelster (Brady Galliers) closing for show. The winning son of Cattlewash-P L Karis is owned by Travis Cullen of Dundas, Ont., Prince Lee Acres of Uxbridge, Ont. and Milton Ross of Dundas, Ont.

The other Ontario-sired stakes contests, two $10,000 Prospect Series Leg 3A divisions for three-year-old pacing males, went to Yourastrangeanimal ($15.60) with Galliers aboard for trainer Kyle Fellows in 1:53.2 and Saulsbrook Rodeo ($6.60) in 1:55 for Jason Ryan and Joshua McKibbin.

Two $6,600 Preferred 3 Handicaps, one for each gait, highlighted the undercard. Spun From Magic ($8.90) took the trot, making an early move to the lead before releasing The Great Reset (Lorne House) at the quarter in :27.4 to get a garden trip through the :57.4 and 1:27.3 middle fractions. Brady Galliers summoned Spun From Magic to the outside entering the last turn, and the nine-year-old Kadabra-Im A Munchie Girl stallion sailed The Great Reset by three lengths for a 1:57.1 score. For All You Know (Dennis Duford) finished third. Cassidy Schneider trains Spun From Magic, who took his second win of the year in 11 starts to up his lifetime stats to 24-for-147 with $170,886 in earnings, for Colonel Schneider Jr. of Arthur, Ont.

Sporstline ($6.80) split traffic to overcome a far-turn shuffle and capture the Preferred 3 Handicap Pace in thrilling fashion. The 10-year-old Sportswriter-Angel In Disguise entire had the pocket behind Drinkin Buddy (Donnie Rankin) through :26.3, :56.2 and 1:25 splits but was relegated to the three-hole turning for home as Cheddar Bay (Robert Doyle) cleared the pacesetter. Walled off by three horses at the top of the lane, the Patrick Bissett trainee found his way through as Docsphillycheese (Garrett Rooney) drifted out, and Sportsline surged to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.3. Docsphillycheese snagged second over Cheddar Bay. Sportsline, owned by Wendy Armstrong of Clinton, Ont., has won three straight starts after beginning the season 0-for-11 and is 43-for-148 lifetime with a bankroll of $373,748.

To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hiawatha Horse Park.

(Standardbred Canada)