by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Toronto, ON — When Holiday Shopper goes behind the gate in her elimination of the C$20,000 Horseplayer Interactive Stakes on Friday night (Feb. 11) at Woodbine, co-owner Robert Hutchison will be cheering on his star pacer from his home in North Ridgeville, Ohio.

Hutchison, who currently owns seven horses, hasn’t had a filly like Holiday Shopper for quite some time.

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Holiday Shopper has nine lifetime wins to her credit, with career earnings of $150,510.

“She has been just tremendous for us,” Hutchison commented. “She has given my family and I many thrills over the past few years and it’s always exciting to watch her race.”

After purchasing the filly for a mere $4,000 at the 2008 Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Holiday Shopper has gone on to earn $150,510 lifetime with a 1:53 career best for Hutchison and his son Randall, who share ownership.

“We liked her yearling video, that’s what made us purchase her,” he said. “A lot of people thought she was too small, but she was very well balanced in her video so we took a chance on her and it certainly paid off.”

Although owned and trained in Ohio, the daughter of Camluck raced primarily in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series the past few years and from there she developed a liking for driver Jason Brewer, also a native from Ohio.

“Duke Sugg developed the filly but when she raced in Canada, he couldn’t always make it, so that’s how the relationship started with Jason,” Hutchison said. “Jason has done a great job with her and when Duke went to Florida, we left the horse with Jason.”

Holiday Shopper will have no easy task on Friday night as she takes on Ardor Locke, who won the Fillies and Mares Open in her most recent outing. The pair of fillies will battle in the eighth race with a scheduled post time of 9:30 p.m.