Indian Peak to face open company at Del Mar

Indian Peak, winner of the $151,000 Snow Chief Stakes on turf for California-bred 3-year-olds on Saturday at Santa Anita, will be part of trainer Quinn Howey’s 10-horse stable at Del Mar this summer.

Indian Peak will be pointed to a stakes against open company at 1 1/16 miles in early August. Howey said the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes on dirt on Aug. 1 or the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on turf on Aug. 9 are under consideration.

Indian Peak was a troubled seventh in the California Cup Derby on dirt at Santa Anita in January, his only start on the surface. Indian Peak was steadied on the turn.

“He had a horrible trip that day,” Howey said.

Indian Peak has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $204,100 for owners and breeders William and Jill Gray. Indian Peak has won 2 of 4 starts on turf and 2 of 5 starts on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields, where Howey is based.

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The Shared Belief is the last stakes in California with qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.

“That will be a tough race,” Howey said. “I think we’ll play it by ear and see how he’s training.”

In the Snow Chief Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, Indian Peak rallied three wide on the backstretch to reach contention with more than a half-mile remaining.

Indian Peak finished a half-length in front of the filly California Kook.

Mike Smith rode Indian Peak for the first time in the Snow Chief. Howey met Smith after the race. Aislinn Finn, an exercise rider for Howey, conveyed the stable’s instructions to Smith before the race.

“I had never met Mike before,” Howey said. “I thanked him for the strong ride. He said, ‘That was fun.’ ”

The Snow Chief was the first six-figure stakes win for Howey, 35. He currently has eight horses at Grants Pass in Oregon and more than 30 at Golden Gate Fields.

Howey’s Del Mar stable will include Wise Rachel, who won the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes at Golden Gate Fields last October and recently returned to training after a springtime rest at a farm.