Sporty Tori delivered on her pari-mutuel promise in the $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace featured on Friday night (June 24) at Grand River Raceway, prevailing from the pocket for driver Garrett Rooney.
Sent postward as the 6-5 bettors' choice, Sporty Tori set out for the lead from post three with 3-2 second pick Tuggingoncredit (Jason Ryan) pressing on to her outside and clearing after a :27.3 opening quarter. The popular Gord McKnight trainee followed the new leader through middle splits of :56.4 and 1:25.3 before blowing by in the stretch to defeat Tuggingoncredit by more than three lengths in 1:54.2. Ladies From Hell (Scott Coulter) followed in third.
A runner-up in her only other Grand River start last August, Sporty Tori had finished no worse than fourth in her last four races at Woodbine Mohawk Park and paid $4.70 to win. The six-year-old homebred daughter of Sportswriter out the Mach Three mare Tistoritwo earned her fourth win of the year from 23 starts and her 25th victory lifetime to lift her bankroll over $260,000 for M&S Racing Stable of Rockwood, Ont.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Grand River Raceway.