Young rider's tip gives veteran Smith winning strategy in Snow Chief

An aspiring jockey who will have her first mount in Oregon on Tuesday gave Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith ideal instructions on how to ride Indian Peak in Saturday’s $151,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita.

Aislinn Finn, a 25-year-old exercise rider for trainer Quinn Howey, knows Indian Peak well from morning workouts and how the colt can make a powerful move much earlier than expected in a race. Finn led Indian Peak to the racetrack before the Snow Chief and had a brief strategy session with Smith on the walk.

When Indian Peak moved toward the leaders with a wide move on the backstretch of the Snow Chief Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds, Smith, 54, was ready.

“He wanted to take it to them,” Smith said. “He was in such a big, beautiful stride. I stayed out of his way.”

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Indian Peak ($7) sustained the move to the wire, prevailing by a half-length over 5-1 California Kook, a filly who finished a nose in front of Margot’s Boy, the 11-10 favorite.

Indian Peak ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.11 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 80.

The victory was the first six-figure stakes win for the 35-year-old Howey, and his second stakes win of the week. He won the $12,000 Oregon Caves Stakes at Grants Pass in Oregon with Older Brother on Wednesday.

Indian Peak, second in an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option at Santa Anita on May 23, was withdrawn from the $100,000 Alcatraz Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Golden Gate Fields on June in favor of the richer Snow Chief Stakes. Howey said on Saturday that an additional week between starts was a contributing factor in the decision.

Smith had Indian Peak in fifth on the first turn and reached contention quickly on the backstretch. Indian Peak was second on the turn and took the lead in early stretch. Howey said Indian Peak is the sort of colt that can make a sustained run, which made the backstretch move less of a concern.

“He can maintain it,” he said. “I was a little worried. If we were going to get outrun, we were going to get outrun.”

The Snow Chief had a field of seven. Descartes finished fourth, followed by Sacred Rider, Canyon Crest, and Bam Bam Again.

Indian Peak, a colt by Comic Strip, races for owners and breeders William and Jill Gray. Indian Peak has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $204,100. The Snow Chief was Indian Peak’s first stakes win in his fourth appearance in a stakes. Indian Peak was third in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on the synthetic main track in February.

Finn and Howey were scheduled to fly back to Northern California on Saturday night in advance of a busy Sunday morning of workouts at Golden Gate Fields, Howey said. Finn rides North Fork for Howey on Tuesday at Grants Pass, the first mount of her career.