Indiana Downs: Snow Top Mountain tries to break through

Snow Top Mountain will be looking for her first stakes win Wednesday night in the $100,000 Girls Incorporated of Shelbyville Shelby County Stakes at Indiana Downs, and trainer Tom Proctor thinks the 4-year-old has a good chance to accomplish the goal.

“We wanted to get a stakes win for her and we thought this would be a good spot,” Proctor said. “But it did come up pretty tough and looks to be a nice race.”

Snow Top Mountain has four wins in 13 attempts, with 11 of her races coming over turf and the other two over synthetics. She will be trying for her third win of the year in the Shelby County, run at one mile on the turf.

In her first out of 2011, which came April 10 at Keeneland, Snow Top Mountain won an allowance at one mile on turf by 1 3/4 lengths. In her next out, which came May 7 at Churchill Downs, Derby Day, she bested a field of optional allowance fillies and mares going a 1 1/16 miles on turf. In her most recent out, June 11, she finished fourth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Mint Julep, again going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Churchill Downs.

Last year, Snow Top Mountain won twice and finished second six times, including in five straight stake races, notably in the Grade 1 Garden City at Belmont Park.

Proctor expects Snow Top Mountain to come from off the pace, as usual, in the Shelby County.

“We’ll see how the race sets up,” he said. “She may lay back a little farther than she has lately. She is pretty handy and will do whatever you want her to do. If she improves just a little bit, she can be a pretty special little filly.”

Leandro Goncalves will ride Snow Top Mountain for the first time, and Proctor sees that as a plus.

“He rode for me at Tampa, and any time you can get the leading rider at a track you are shipping in to run, it is a big plus,” he said.

Proctor and Goncalves have teamed up twice this year locally, winning both events.

Others in the 12-horse field are Category Seven, Sheer Beauty, Lady’s Laughter, Kiss Mine, Romin Robin, Seniga, Instant Style, Silent Candy, Taptam, La Gran Bailadora, and Distorted Love.