The first leg of the Mark Austin Pacing Series was contested on Sunday afternoon (July 9) at Dresden Raceway.

Step In My Groove and Nick Steward went wire-to-wire to capture the first $5,000 division of the series for non-winners of one race or $5,000 lifetime (fillies and mares $6,000). The four-year-old Rambaran gelding stepped off fractions of :29.1, 1:00 and 1:30.2 on the way to a 2:00.4 clocking for trainer William Kirkpatrick and owner/breeder Pamela Loomis of Grosse Point, Michigan. My Greek Princess finished second for Tyler Borth while You Said It and Lorne House finished third.

The second division of the series resulted in Big Bad Carly and Tyler Borth making it to the winner’s circle after chasing down CRJ Hottie and Donnie Rankin Jr. in 2:03. Big Bad Carly is a three-year-old Big Bad John filly, owned and trained by Tom Bain and co-owned by Nathan Bain of Woodslee, Ont. House guided GMC Trooper to a third-place finish.

Action Town, a three-year-old Mister Big gelding, and trainer/driver Rankin went to the front and never looked back in the third division to win in 2:02.4 for owner/breeder Ken Sommer of Sheffield, Ohio. Mark Williams guided Got It Made to a second-place finish while Thriller Night and Garrett Rooney paid on the show ticket.

Rooney and Pull The Shade took top prize in the fourth division of the Mark Austin Series after cutting the mile and holding on for the win by a half-length over Abitofalright and Williams. The three-year-old Dragon Again filly paced the mile in 2:00.4 for trainer Steve Roberts and owner Sherri Abbott of Windsor, Ont. Alyssa Marie and Alex Lilley were third.

The second leg of the series goes next week with the $10,000 final set for July 23.

The handle at Dresden was $26,225.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Dresden Raceway.

(With files from Dresden Raceway)