Woodbine Mohawk Park: Shower Play steps forward in Fan Hanover final

Shower Play scored by far the biggest victory of her career by rallying from third-over to capture the C$415,000 Fan Hanover Stakes final for 3-year-old filly pacers on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The final time was 1:50 2/5, which lowered her lifetime mark by two full seconds.

Kendall Seelster (Randy Waples) and Ubettergo Go (Tim Tetrick) were quickest away at the start, with Ubettergo Go chopping out the opening quarter in 26 1/5. Alexis Faith (Doug McNair) dropped into the three-hole from post six, and she would make a move to the outside and gain control before the 54 3/5 half went on the board.

As the field passed the half it would be Just Her Luck (Chris Christoforou) testing the waters first-up from fifth, and that would give the second-over trip to favored Kissin In The Sand (Scott Zeron). Shower Play (Louis-Philippe Roy) joined them third-over, and that's how they were lined up at three-quarters, which Alexis Faith clicked off in 1:22 3/5.

In the stretch several fillies had chances at the top prize, but Shower Play had the momentum on the far outside of the racetrack, and she would get up in deep stretch to top Kissin In The Sand. Sudden Passing (Jody Jamieson) split foes in the lane and was third, followed by Alexis Faith and Kendall Seelster.

This might have been most people's introduction to Shower Play, but Roy thought he might be holding the top hand after last week's eliminations.

"Every time I've driven her, even when I qualified her, she's surprised me more and more," said Roy. "Getting off the bike I knew she was ready for more. After the race last week, I was in the drivers' room and I told James (MacDonald), 'if I get a good draw I think I'm a winner in there.' I was listening to the draw, and with the four-hole I was happy, and the trip worked out good.

"Going down the backstretch I tried to flush Scott early a little bit because I wanted him to be first-up. I knew that Kissin In The Sand was probably the one to beat, so I told myself if I can be second-over on her that will be perfect for me. Just a little bit later Chris went first-up, so actually Kissin In The Sand got the perfect trip and I had to beat her. The filly showed she's so good and did the job."

A daughter of Shadow Play, Shower Play is trained by Rene Dion, who also co-owns her with Susie Kerwood and Martin Leveillee. Shower Play, whose previous stakes engagements had all been in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series, has a record of 5-3-0 from eight tries, and she has earned C$262,462. She was sent off at 3-1 and paid $8.20 to win.

"She's a nice filly. She was a really nice filly last year," Dion stated. "We took our time with her to give her all the chance we could and this year she is off to a good start so far.

"We didn't stake her too many places. We have her in the O.S.S. and we have her in the Simcoe also."