Paige Austin to debut on Kin Pace day

A familiar last name will appear in the July 3 program at Clinton Raceway, with a new generation of the Austin harness racing family harnessing Hasty Bid (My MVP) in one of three $22,200 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions for freshman trotters.

Paige Austin, the daughter of late trainer Mark Austin, is making her training debut with the gelding in race 5. The other Grassroots divisions are races 3 and 8.

“We’re feeling good,” said Austin. “He’s qualified twice. He was loaded both times and just went around and followed, so hopefully he is ready for Sunday.”

Austin and her boyfriend James MacDonald co-own the $35,000 yearling purchase, and MacDonald will be in the race bike Sunday. He has already piloted horses to over $3.4 million in winnings in 2022.

“I’m definitely less nervous with James driving,” said Austin. “He’s the leading driver in Canada right now, and he’s done a great job with Hasty so far. So, I think we will be good for Sunday.”

Hasty Bid is out of Sunshinenlollipops, a Garland Lobell mare who has produced nine starters with average career earnings of $156,060 including 2011 Hambletonian Oaks runner-up Lady Rainbow (Muscle Yankee) who earned over $800,616 from 21 career starts, and a record of 5-6-1.

OSS fans are familiar with another half-sister Resolving (Resolve), winner of a Gold division by 11 lengths last season at Grand River Raceway.

“He qualified great both times, and he’s a pretty nice horse,” said MacDonald. “It’s a good stepping stone for him. He’s a big, strong horse but he trots a half-mile really well. He trains on a small half-mile track. I expect him to be good.”

MacDonald has 900 over starts in 2022, but this one will be extra special.

“I know Paige is really excited for her first start,” said MacDonald. “Her dad trained a lot of good horses, so I know it means a lot to her. Hopefully she got the training gene from him, and we can get him to the winner’s circle first start out.”

For Austin, she’s looking forward to following in her father’s footsteps with someone special by her side.

“It means so much to me,” said Austin. “I know (my dad) will be watching down over us. Hopefully he can push us across the wire, and we can get a win.”

For complete OSS standings, click here.

For complete race entries, click here.

From the Ontario Sires Stakes