Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final Saturday
at Woodbine Mohawk Park
In Race 8 for the 3 year old trotting Colts & Geldings, ” Pemberton, won in 1.52 & 4.
Driven by Trevor Henry, Pemberton is trained by Paul Walker of Owen Sound and co-owned by Walker’s wife, Brenda, & their daughter Christine
Of note, Angel Nation which is trained by Allenford native Ted Macdonnell finished 2nd in the race and the exactor paid $ 89,80.
Race call from Woodbine Mohawk Park
Interview with co-owner Brenda Walker
Ontario Sire Stakes Release
Super Final title for Walker family’s dream horse
Heading into Saturday night’s Super Finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park, trainer Paul Walker thought his best chance at a title would come with two-year-old trotting filly Imextraspecial rather than three-year-old trotting gelding Pemberton.
“Of the two of them, I said I would bet on her,” said the Owen Sound, ON resident. “Pemberton, he trained well too, but she just trained like a monster, so I actually thought she would be good, but that’s what happens.”
Unfortunately, Imextraspecial’s race night performance did not match her training effort. The filly went off stride at the start and finished at the back of the 10-horse field. However, in the $250,000 three-year-old trotting colt Super Final, Pemberton delivered an effort far surpassing Walker’s expectations, as he has been doing all season long.
Starting from Post 3 with regular reinsman Trevor Henry of Arthur, ON in the race bike, Pemberton got away fourth but did not rest there for long. Henry had the fan favourite on the front heading for the halfway marker and from there the pair never looked back, cruising home to a three and three-quarter length victory in 1:52.4. Angel Nation closed hard to be second and Threefiftytwo was third.
“Trevor was very impressed with him, has been all along,” said Walker, whose other starter, Horse Trader, finished ninth. “I mean we’ve always liked him, but you keep thinking, well one of these times these guys are going to beat him, but he raced him a different way tonight again and it didn’t make any difference.”
Walker trains Pemberton for his wife Brenda Walker and their daughter Christine Walker of Tara, ON. Mother and daughter also bred the son of Wheeling N Dealing and Dayshifter, who wrapped up his sophomore campaign with eight wins, four of them in Gold Series action, and one third in 10 starts for earnings of $363,684. He was the only one of the eight division point leaders to claim a Super Final title.
The gelding was joined in the winner’s circle on Saturday by some of his youngest fans, two of the Walker’s grandchildren, Austin, 14, and Amelia, 10, who broke their superstitious habit of watching him race on the computer in the milk house of their dairy farm while sitting in very specific seats.
“They broke the mould. I said, ‘Oh my God, you guys are coming?’” said Walker with a chuckle. “That’s the first they’ve come to watch him go and they got their picture taken so they’re pretty happy.”
Pemberton will now enjoy a well-earned vacation before beginning preparations for his four-year-old campaign, with any success he has as an aged horse just icing on the cake for the Walker family.
“He’s going to have a good rest and we won’t get in a big hurry with him coming back even in the spring I don’t think. We’ll try to let him fill out as much as we can, because as you know he’s a smaller horse,” said Walker. “He’s done more than we’d ever dreamed.”