Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Driver of the Month
for October 2011

Chris Christoforou

Chris Christoforou, 40, a native of Toronto, is one of the hottest drivers on the Canadian circuit today. The lanky, 5' 11", horsemen, grew up watching his father--Chris Sr.-- train trotters and pacers.

Chris Christoforou driving Odds On Beth

Chris got his first win at Flamboro Downs with Delias Star in 1990 and from there it was all uphill. He is currently only one of three (the other two are Doug Brown and Randy Waples) to have won more than 400 races in a single season on the Woodbine/Mohawk circuit. He has won the prestigious O'Brien Award in 1999, 2002 and 2003, and was named the Ontario Jockey Club's Driver of the Year in 2000. He won his first Breeders Crown with the tough trotter Earl in 1993 and his second in 1999 with Grinfromeartoear.

On September 21, 2000, Chistoforou experienced one of his greatest thrills as he piloted Astreos to win the $547,972 Little Brown Jug. A crowd of 51,910 turned out to see the ninth race-off in the history of the Delaware Classic.

"I think I've been to heaven," Christoforou said. "I wasn't going to concede victory to anyone. If Gallo Blue Chip was going to beat me he'll have to do a lot of work."

Astreos earned his way into the raceoff of the 55th Little Brown Jug by winning the first elimination in 1:54.4 while Gallo Blue Chip took the second elim in 1:51.4. Profita captured the third elimination in 1:55 and George Scooter shocked the crowd of 51,910 with his second triumph in 1:54. Astreos, a son of Artsplace was owned by Makis Chrysomilas, Chris Christoforou and Banjo Farms. In the raceoff Astreos took the lead from the start and set fractions of :28, :58.4, 1:27.3 with the final time of 1:55.3 equalling Blissfull Hall's race-off clocking of 1999. The raceoff was also the ninth in Jug history.

Chris Christoforou's Driving Statistics Through September 1, 2011
Year     Starts     Wins     2nds     3rds     Earnings
2011      751          83         70       65      $1,562,283
2010      604          48         61      54      $1,136,538
2009      643          85         67      93      $1,564,331
2008      624          58       77       75      $1,305,609
2007      1320      144      159      161      $3,204,208
2006      2153      287      277      309      $5,262,014
2005      1617      246      193      190      $3,918,933
2004      2358      398      464      396      $8,492,464
2003      3204      580      464      396      $8,492,464
2002      2976      517      409      377      $6,816,393
2001      3060      622      455      372      $9,571,398
2000      2632      571      354      313      $8,986,409
1999      3176      642      499      473      $6,685,980
1998      2099      342      283      302      $2,701,591
1997      1460      210      210      159      $1,609,042
1996      1096      140      127      111      $1,413,596
1995      887          99      123      112      $1,265,303
1994      943          97      95        104      $938,672
1993      737        115      91        96      $1,367,182
1992      389          41      36          51      $473,641
1991      322         40      37          25      $381,350
1990      39             3        4            3      $13,775
Total               5,445                             $76,658,406

To view our previous drivers of the month from 2004 and 2005, go to the About Harness Racing Tab at the top of this page and scroll down to our Famous Driver Roster.