Deo Galileo became Canada’s first two-year-old pari-mutuel race winner of 2016 with a strong maiden-crushing performance at Grand River Raceway on June 13.

Leaving from post five, Deo Galileo cruised wire-to-wire to finish one-and-three-quarter lengths the best over eight sophomores in 2:00.1.

Driven by Doug McNair for trainer Gregg McNair, the son of If I Can Dream was a $22,000 purchase at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale for owners Wayne Mac Rae and Bloomingwood Farms Ltd.

Pinky Tuscadero captured Monday’s feature race - the $11,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Pace - for Team Horner in 1:57.

Mike Horner tucked in fifth with the Mark Horner pupil while Jabas Luck rolled to the lead and sliced out splits of :27.1, :58 and 1:27.4. A Plus came first-over on the way to the half, and Pinky Tuscadero slipped out to catch that foe’s cover. Pinky Tuscadero rolled off cover coming out of the final turn and used a :29.1 closing kick to win by a length over A Plus. Doo Wee Rusty shot through late to finish third.

Sent off at odds of 4-1, the four-year-old daughter of Artistic Fella-Cassidy Seelster improved her 2016 record to 2-4-3 from 16 starts for owners Mark & Stephanie Horner of St. Marys, Ont. Their homebred bumped her lifetime earnings to $115,656 with the victory.

(With files from Grand River Raceway)

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.