by Gary Patterson, for Dresden Raceway
Dresden, ON — The Mark Austin Pacing Series kicks off at Dresden Raceway this Sunday (June 10) and it’s anybody’s guess who will take home the top purse of C$12,700 for the final.
The Mark Austin Pacing Series will showcase pacing colts and geldings who are non-winners of one race or C$5,000 lifetime, and fillies and mares who are non-winners of one race or C$6,000 lifetime, as of May 15, 2018.
The series is held in honor of trainer Mark Austin who died suddenly in 2014. Austin got his start at Dresden Raceway in the early 1980s and his reputation of being great with young horses caught up with him, as he was asked to break a yearling trotter named A Worthy Lad for Joe Johnston. A Worthy Lad never lost a race in North America.
Austin also worked with Jack Darling during the 1990s when Darling Stables produced champions like Northern Luck and Gothic Dream.
The Chatham native then moved his operation to Fergus, Ontario, where horses like Sparky Mark and Fool Me Once had success. Austin had a career training average of .345 and more than C$9 million in earned purses thanks to 837 wins.
Austin wasn’t only a top-notch trainer — he was also a favorite around the track, as he was described as a true gentleman and was one of the nicest guys in the business.
In Sunday’s first leg Dynasty Seelster looks sharp for owners Jack Wray and Scott Dunbar. The 3-year-old Shadow Play filly is coming off a second place finish at Hiawatha Horse Park in 1:59.1. Andy Moore will be at the controls.
Grand Bay has also had an impressive start to her career as she has won two in a row at Dresden Raceway. The 3-year-old Badlands Hanover filly is owned by Jim Napper and trained by Cathy Gaudreau. Dresden’s leading reinsman Tyler Borth will be in the bike.
In the second division Tom Bain trained Onimpulse is the favorite. The 4-year-old Mister Big mare is coming off a front end win on a sloppy track at Dresden. She is owned by Don McMurren while Alex Lilley is the driver.
A Bit Of Billy looks to be the best in the third leg. The 6-year-old Stonebridge Regal mare is coming off a third place finish at Hiawatha Horse Park for her first start of the year. Lenore and Eric Prince are the owners while Lenore is the trainer. Veteran teamster Mark Williams will be the driver.
Thriller Night could be a longshot to win the series, if the 3-year-old Feelin Friskie gelding regains his form from May where he had a first and second place finish at Hiawatha for owner Randy Zhok and trainer Bill Brown. Garrett Rooney will be at the controls for the Ohio bred.
Post time on Sunday is set for 1:30 p.m.
Dresden’s on track average handle is up 18.5 percent from last year and attendance is up more than 20 percent which is staying true to the trend over the last three seasons.