SARNIA — Hall of Fame reinsman Chris Christoforou marked his first pari‑mutuel starts since a January accident by winning both of his Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Grassroots drives Saturday at Hiawatha Horse Park.
Christoforou guided Exactly Correct and Tilthecowscomehome to victories in the third leg of the OSS Grassroots for three‑year‑old pacing colts and geldings, each race carrying a $30,000 purse. The results gave Christoforou his first wins of the year and a notable return to the Sarnia quarter‑mile oval.
Exactly Correct edges tight finish
In the opening division, Exactly Correct tracked in fifth from post two through a :26.3 quarter before moving to the outside approaching the half, which came in about :56. The gelding took cover past three‑quarters in 1:24.1, tipped three‑wide on the last turn and charged down the leader to win in a final time of 1:52.3, holding off the fast‑closing Hall Of Fear by a head. Thirty Six Red finished third.
Exactly Correct, by Bettors Delight out of In Other Words, earned his first Ontario Sires Stakes victory and improved to four wins in 11 lifetime starts with career earnings of $53,950. The colt is trained by Camilla Christoforou for Irvann Holdings Inc. of Toronto and Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville. The win paid $2.80.
Tilthecowscomehome cruises to comfortable victory
The second division produced a more decisive margin. Tilthecowscomehome tracked early traffic as Neverleaveharlan and Goin For Broke battled through a :26 quarter, then took command to post middle splits of :54.3 and 1:23.2 before pulling away to a 4½‑length victory in 1:51.3. Plankton Hanover finished second, with Bajan Firefly third.
Racing as a Cattlewash‑Dance Until Dawn colt, Tilthecowscomehome captured his first OSS win after six earlier triactor finishes in the series. The win gave Christoforou a stakes double on the Hiawatha card.
"It was Christoforou’s first pari‑mutuel starts since sustaining injuries from an accident in January."
Local context and what it means for Hiawatha
Hiawatha Horse Park, located in the Sarnia area, stages OSS Grassroots events that give locally bred three‑year‑olds an opportunity to compete in provincial stakes company. Christoforou’s return is significant for local fans and connections; the driver is a familiar figure at Ontario tracks and his presence raises the profile of race nights here.
For Sarnia racing patrons, the results highlight the depth of young pacing stock campaigned in Ontario and underline Hiawatha’s role as a stop on the stakes trail. Christoforou is due to compete in the Legends Day Invitational Trot on Sunday at Clinton Raceway, keeping him active across the regional circuit.
- Event: OSS Grassroots, Hiawatha Horse Park (Sarnia)
- Date: July 25
- Driver: Chris Christoforou — two wins
- Winning times: Exactly Correct 1:52.3; Tilthecowscomehome 1:51.3
| Horse | Trainer/Owners | Lifetime wins/earnings | Race time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exactly Correct | Trained by Camilla Christoforou; owned by Irvann Holdings Inc. & Charalambos Christoforou | 4‑for‑11; $53,950 | 1:52.3 |
| Tilthecowscomehome | — | First OSS win (after six triactor placings) | 1:51.3 |
Saturday’s card at Hiawatha will be welcomed by the local racing community as evidence of a healthy regional circuit and a boost for fans eager to see a well‑known driver back in the sulky. The immediate sporting consequence for Sarnia is an energised crowd and renewed attention from connections who travel the Ontario stakes trail.
Christoforou’s successful return, with two stakes victories at Hiawatha, reinforces the track’s role as a competitive venue for OSS action and offers local supporters two new horses to follow through the remainder of the season.
