Dresden Raceway kicked off the Mark Austin Memorial Pacing Series as part of its 10-race card on Sunday, June 2, featuring two divisions for colts and one for fillies and mares, each for horses that are non-winners of one race or $5,000 lifetime as of March 31.

Ashers Basher kicked off the first division for the boys with a gate-to-wire victory. Protecting the rail starting position, driver Nick Steward put Ashers Basher on the front through a quarter of :30.4 before taking the field to the half in 1:02.1. Steward picked up the pace in the third quarter, leading to that station in 1:31.2 before opening up the lead over Rise N Grind (Andy Moore) by 2-1/4 lengths on the line in 2:00.2.

The victory broke the maiden of the three-year-old gelded son of Bettors Delight-Ashlees Star. Trained by William Leon and owned by Gordon and Scott Mason along with Derick Anderson, Ashers Basher has made eight career starts after going unraced as a two-year-old.

The second division for colts belonged to Write About Now, who delivered at the 3-5 favourite. Driver Donald Rankin settled Write About Now in the pocket while Psycho Path (Scott Wray) put down a :31 quarter on the front. Thejackofdiamonds (Garrett Rooney) thundered up from fourth to take the lead just beyond the half in 1:03 while a revved up and crooked Write About Now began to gap from third before straightening out on the backstretch at moving into second at three-quarters in 1:31.4. Write About Now wore down a stubborn Thejackofdiamonds in the lane to score in 2:01. 

The victory was the second (consecutive) from three seasonal outings for the three-year-old William Hamm trainee, who made just two starts as a rookie. The Sportswriter-Cant Stop gelding's trainer also bred and shares ownership with Thomas Hamm.

Driver Nick Steward doubled his pleasure on the card, taking the lone $5,000 division for fillies and mares aboard Premier Elsa. Leaving from post two, Steward put Premier Elsa on the front in a hurry, leading to the first quarter in :29. The pace slowed considerably on the way to the half, as the favourite reached that station in 1:02 before taking the field to three quarters in 1:32.2. Premier Elsa had plenty left in the stretch, kicking away by 2-3/4 lengths on the line in 2:01.3 over Crytel Shadow (Rooney).

The victory makes it two in a row for the three-year-old rookie daughter of Mcwicked-Premier Indigo. Unraced as a two-year-old, the nine-time starter is trained by Darryl Laver for owner Rick Rier.

The Mark Austin Pacing Series will consist of a second leg on June 9 before the $12,000 finals on Sunday, June 16.

The Sunday card also featured a $5,000 Preferred 3 Trot, which served as race seven on the card. Heavy Dude E delivered on the engine with Ryan Desroche after getting to the front from post four to the quarter of :29. Heavy Dude E took the field to the half in 1:00.1 before Hot Fudge Sundae (Alfie Carroll) took the leader to task to put his head up front at three-quarters in 1:30.2. Heavy Dude E re-rallied with inside position to put Hot Fudge Sundae away by a length on the wire in 2:00. 

Natalie Elliott owns and trains the six-year-old gelded son of Holiday Road-Marclif Aisalinda. Now a four-time winner in 21 seasonal outings, Heavy Dude E is a 24-time career winner with lifetime earnings of $177,258.

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

(Standardbred Canada)