Pembroke Breeze sailed to a front-end victory on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Cumberland Raceway, taking the $7,746 conditioned trot in a lifetime-best 1:58.
As the wings folded, the four-year-old daughter of Pembroke Slugger-Pembroke Mistress was briefly behind the 33-1 longshot To My Credit (Mike Stevenson) but tipped out and went around the early leaver through the paddock turn to take command at the quarter in :29.1. By the :59.2 half-mile marker, Pembroke Breeze was in total control for Heath Campbell as the rest of the field tracked loosely behind the former Maine Sire Stakes champion.
Just past the midway point, the even-money co-favourite Valyrian Steel (Kevin Switzer Jr.) moved first-over from fifth to improve his position. Brutalizer (Andy Harrington) followed closely second-over as the trotters moved past the paddock turn the second time. The public’s choice led the field to three-quarters in 1:28.3 and began to gain separation as the rest of the pack fanned out around the final turn. All alone and drawing off by 7-1/2 lengths, Pembroke Breeze took her seventh win of the season in 22 outings. Brutalizer finished second, with To My Credit third.
The win was Pembroke Breeze's 19th career victory in 42 starts, boosting her lifetime earnings to $264,806. Valerie Grondin owns and trains the mare, who returned $4.20.
Cumberland's Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting will have weekend action throughout the month of November. The track will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) beginning on Dec. 5. The 18-day meet runs until Dec. 21, 2025.
(Cumberland)