After assembling a solid record against Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots competition as a freshman, Shower Play cleaned up as a sophomore en route to divisional honours as Canada's Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year. It was part of a plan that paid off in spades for her connections.

"As a two-year-old we really thought she was the real deal," said co-owner Susie Kerwood after the 2018 O'Brien Awards. "Sylvain Filion drove her, he did a great job with her...he kept saying 'she's a Gold filly, she's a Gold filly'. At that time, we were up against [2017 O'Brien Award winner] Percy Bluechip, who pretty much dominated. We thought 'we're doing OK here [in the Grassroots] so let's stay here', and then she got sick on us unfortunately and we had to shut her down, missed the Grassroots final. That happens, right? You gotta do what you gotta sometimes. I think, apparently, that was the right choice in the long run."

Shower Play showed she was a Gold filly, and showed once again that Ontario's best compete successfully against the best harness racing has to offer. The Shadow Play - Alice Emily filly scored six wins during her 2018 campaign, including three Ontario Sires Stakes events, the Fan Hanover Final and Simcoe division. She bankrolled almost $480,000 and took a mark of 1:50.2 in the Fan Hanover Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park for Kerwood, co-owner and trainer Rene Dion and co-owner Martin Leveillee.

Shower Play was conspicuous by her absence in the late-season OSS Super Final and Breeders Crown, and Dion provided an update on his stable star in the following interview.

This is the ninth in a series of several post-event video interviews with O'Brien Award finalists, sponsored by Horse Racing Alberta.

On Saturday, Feb. 2, Standardbred Canada announced the winners for the 2018 O’Brien Awards at the 30th edition of the annual O’Brien Awards Black Tie Gala, held at the Hilton Mississauga / Meadowvale hotel in Mississauga, Ont. The O’Brien Awards honour Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season and are named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. To view the full list of 2018 O'Brien Award winners, click here.