A Tribute to Snow Chief

He remains the last California-bred horse to win an American Triple Crown race, a feat he accomplished twenty-five years ago. There are not enough superlatives to describe this wonderful horse with the sweet face and expressive eyes, who came from relatively humble roots to achieve great things and leave his own significant imprint on Thoroughbred racing.

Snow Chief, a smallish dark bay almost black colt, was bred by co-owner and breeder Carl Grinstead who was in partnership with Ben Rochelle, two elderly gentlemen affectionately known as the “Sunshine Boys.” Sired by Reflected Glory out of the Snow Sporting (ARG.) mare Miss Snowflake, Snow Chief was foaled on March 17, 1983 at Blue Diamond Ranch in California.

Family Ties

Reflected Glory, a Kentucky-bred dark bay/brown horse, was a racer of some quality, having recorded twenty-eights starts. At age two, he finished third in the one mile Remsen Stakes behind Damascus and Native Guile, then at three, won the 1 1/8 mile Flamingo, seven furlong Bahamas, and 1 1/8 mile Everglades Stakes. Miss Snowflake made only five starts with nothing significant to her credit, nor was she particularly distinguished as a broodmare. Her sire however, the dark bay/brown Snow Sporting, was a black-type winner from twenty starts, his most notable wins in the 1970 Charles H. Strub Stakes, contested that year at 1 1/8 miles, and the 1 ¼ mile Gulfstream Park Handicap. Snow Chief's grandsire was Jester, who made eighteen starts with victories in the National Stallion and Belmont Park's 6 ½ furlong Futurity Stakes. Jester was sired by the great handicap champion and 1953 Horse of the Year Tom Fool. Snow Chief's second dam, Bold Jewel, was a chestnut mare, who made only two starts, posting one win. Through her dam, Bold Contessa, Bold Jewel had roots tracing to Bold Ruler, while Bold Jewel's sire, Any Time Now, was out of the Khaled mare Time to Khal. Khaled also sired Swaps, widely considered the greatest California-bred racer of all time.

Building Foundation

Conditioned by Melvin F. Stute, Snow Chief began racing on June 19, 1985. Under jockey Rafael Meza, the colt won a five furlong Maiden Special Weight for state-breds by two and a half lengths at Hollywood Park, after covering a quarter in :22 4/5, the half in :45 2/5, and finishing in a solid :57 3/5. Eleven days later, in the Desert Wine, he finished a distant sixth in a field of nine, beaten by more than nine lengths. It was the only time he was off the board as a juvenile.

After sustaining bucked shins, Snow Chief returned on September 5 and captured the restricted six furlong Rancho Santa Fe Stakes at Del Mar by one and three quarter lengths, covering the distance in 1:10. The colt raced again a week later in the one mile Del Mar Futurity (Gr. 1), and finished third as the previous year's Eclipse two-year-old champion Tasso, outlasted the filly Arewehavingfunyet by a neck.

On October 2, Snow Chief moved across town to Santa Anita for opening day of the Oak Tree meeting and was entered in the seven furlong Sunny Slope Stakes against seven other runners. Louisiana Slew, a son of Seattle Slew, got the jump out of the gate and maintained his position as Snow Chief, giving the leader four pounds, pursued him gamely only to fall short by a neck at the wire. Snow Chief also had a new rider named Alex Solis, and it was Solis who would guide the horse to many of his momentous performances.

Eleven days later, Snow Chief turned things around with his first grade one victory, a decisive three length score in the 1 1/16 mile Norfolk Stakes, which also marked his first outing going a distance of ground. His time was 1:44 3/5. He continued moving forward on November 2 in the one mile B.J. Ridder Stakes for state breds, outlasting Variety Road by a head, while giving the runner-up seven pounds. After returning to Hollywood Park on November 29, Snow Chief's two race win streak was curtailed in the one mile Hoist the Flag Stakes, taken off the turf, as Darby Dan ran away from five rivals by five lengths on a sloppy surface.

Snow Chief's next start was the Hollywood Futurity (Gr.1) on December 15. Solis, after working the horse with added equipment, made a recommendation which proved to be a boom for the horse: blinkers. After breaking fifth of nine, Snow Chief soon gained the lead and never looked back, crossing the wire six and a half lengths ahead in the excellent time of 1:34 1/5. Back in second was Electric Blue and just a nose behind him in third was a horse named Ferdinand, conditioned by the great horseman Charles Whittingham, and whom Snow Chief would meet many times over the next two years.

His two-year-old campaign now concluded, Snow Chief had racked up nine starts with five wins, two seconds, one third, one unplaced finish and earnings over $935,000. He was named the Golden State's Horse of the Year and champion juvenile male.

Million Dollar Horse

Snow Chief would make a historic run at Santa Anita on January 12. His first start as a three-year-old was in the seven furlong state-bred California Breeders' Champion Stakes. Well back, he took the overland route and made a move turning for home, took the lead a furlong from the finish, and drew away by four lengths. The time was a swift 1:21 3/5. The purse worth over $115,000, netted Snow Chief $70,800, which put his career earning at $1,006,540. He was now the youngest horse in history to go over the million dollar mark.

Snow Chief now headed north and kept rolling with a two and a half length score in the El Camino Real Derby (Gr. 3) at Bay Meadows. The win raised Snow Chief's overall earnings to $1,144,040, behind only Ancient Title and Silveyville among all-time Cal-breds.

Snow Chief and Badger Land would now travel east.

Florida Invasion

The $500,000 Florida Derby (Gr. 1) was a major prep on the road to Churchill Downs. It was now being challenged by two invaders from the West Coast, and no California-bred had won the race since Candy Spots back in 1963. But on March 1, at Gulfstream Park, in Florida's biggest race for three-year-olds, the California-bred Snow Chief and California raced Badger Land, delivered a one-two knockout punch.

Snow Chief set the early pace along with Glow. In the backstretch the son of Reflected Glory took the lead, keeping to the rail, with Badger Land a close second. Having separated themselves from the rest of the field, the two came roaring toward the wire, with Snow Chief having a slight advantage. At the finish Snow Chief was ahead by one and three-quarter lengths in a pedestrian 1:51 4/5 for the 1 1/8 mile race, the slowest since Nashua's 1:53 1/5 in 1955, when he ran over slop. The manner in which Snow Chief had won was the important element however, the decisiveness of the move, and his superiority. He had defeated the Fountain of Youth winner My Prince Charming and Mogambo, the previous year's Champagne Stakes winner, and now stood at the head of the class. Mogambo would later defeat Groovy in the Gotham and Badger Land would annex the Flamingo Stakes. Both would make appearances on the first Saturday in May. The feeling was that his Florida Derby win put him on top of any three-year-old in the country.

Inspiring

Having conquered Florida, Snow Chief intended to do it again in his home state. But while the Florida Derby had comprised a field of sixteen, California's big prep, the Santa Anita Derby (Gr. 1), worth $400,000, would only have seven entries. Breaking from the rail was Variety Road, winner of the San Rafael and San Felipe Stakes. Next to him was Ferdinand who had won the Santa Catalina.* The favorite Snow Chief was in post three. When the gates opened, Snow Chief soon took charge of the proceedings, and set reasonable fractions of :47 1/5, 1:11, and a 1:36 mile. When Icy Groom made a challenge, Solis urged Snow Chief and he took off with a six length winning margin at the wire, with a final time of 1:48 3/5 for the 1 1/8 mile run. Icy Groom secured second, a length ahead of the third horse, who just happened to be Ferdinand.

Snow Chief would make his next start in America's greatest horse race. Ferdinand would be there to.

Critics

Snow Chief would arrive at Churchill Downs as a favorite for the 112^th running of the Kentucky Derby (Gr. 1). But he had detractors who didn't feel he would be up to the job, bringing up arguments not the least which was his California breeding. Snow Chief and his connections were certainly in it to win it. With a $784,400 purse, $609,400 would be given to the horse who crossed the wire first, very nice cash for roughly a two minute lick.

Disappointment

On May 3, 1986, Snow Chief and fifteen other three-year-olds entered the starting gate, for the Run for the Roses. Soon after the gates opened, Snow Chief, breaking from post twelve, was in fourth, three lengths back of the leader. Groovy, a fast sprinter, ridden by Laffit Pincay, Jr., broke from the fourteen hole and took the early lead. Ferdinand, in post one and under 54-year-old Bill Shoemaker, had broken poorly and left far behind in the early going. Snow Chief was fairly close to the pace as Groovy cut out a half in :45 1/5; but this was too fast and Groovy began to drop back preciptiously, ultimately to finish last, almost fifty lengths behind the winner. Snow Chief was among three others vying for the lead as they turned for home, and then called it an afternoon. Ferdinand, who had been as much as twenty lengths back in the earlier going, was eating up ground, was the new leader after a mile and advanced to the wire more than two lengths ahead of the English-bred Bold Arrangement, in a time of 2:02 4/5 over a surface labeled fast. Snow Chief had emptied out, perhaps trying to stay near Groovy earlier in the race, and faded to eleventh, nineteen and a half lengths behind the winner.

Snow Chief's connections were crestfallen over their horse's poor performance, but they would regroup and try again in two weeks at Pimlico.

Emulating Candy Spots

Not only had Candy Spots been the previous California-bred horse to win the Florida Derby, but he was also the last to win racing's second jewel of the Triple Crown. Could Snow Chief continue emulating him? There were over 87,000 spectators in attendance at Pimlico Racecourse on May 17, in addition to seven horses wanting to snatch more glory away from Ferdinand. Snow Chief would try and Broad Brush, who finished third in the Derby, also wanted another shot. And Groovy was back, but this time he had a new rider, named Craig Perret, who was able to get the mount to take it slower.

Snow Chief was parked in post position two, Groovy in four, and Ferdinand five. When they were off, Groovy once again dictated things, but this time he covered a half in :47 2/5. He continued through three quarters in 1:11, which was nearly a second slower than the Derby. Snow Chief, who was in the early mix again, took the lead after about a mile, run in 1:36, moved strongly around the far turn, and created separation in the stretch. Ferdinand was also moving well, but was never a threat, as Snow Chief crossed the wire four lengths to the good with Ferdinand next, followed by Broad Brush. Snow Chief's final time was 1:54 4/5 and with nearly $412,000 netted for the effort, his career earnings were now over $2 million.

Although Snow Chief's owners considered bringing him back for the Belmont Stakes, it didn't happen, probably at the insistence of Stute, who felt the 1 ½ mile grind would take too much out of him. The decision was made to opt for the one million dollar Jersey Derby (Gr.2) contested at 1 ¼ miles in nine days.

Impressive Moves

Snow Chief, Mogambo, and Tasso were among the ten runners in the lineup at Garden State Park, New Jersey for the Jersey Derby. Out the gate, Snow Chief wasted no time taking the initiative from Mogambo, and led the group around the oval, widening his advantage in the backstretch, setting splits of :47, 1;11 2/5 and 1:37, before coming home two lengths ahead in 2:03. Mogambo followed one and a half lengths in front of Tasso.

Snow Chief returned to California for a brief respite, before taking on eleven rivals in Hollywood Park's one mile Silver Screen Handicap (Gr.2) on July 5. Also among the starters was an gray Cal-bred filly named Melair, trained by John Sadler. Melair was extremely fast and undefeated in five starts. When the dust finally settled, Melair had run the fastest time ever for a female racer, stopping the clock in a blistering 1:32 4/5, with a six and a half length winning margin. Southern Halo was next, and in third, another four and a half lengths back, was Snow Chief, who had carried high weight of 127, giving the winner twelve pounds and runner-up fourteen.

During the summer, a bone chip was discovered in Snow Chief's right knee. He undersent arthropscopic surgery and was out of action until late December when he returned in the seven furlong Malibu Stakes (Gr. 2) at Santa Anita. Under high weight of 126, he dropped a one and a quarter length decision to his old rival Ferdinand, in receipt of three pounds.

Champion

Snow Chief collected a $20,000 paycheck for the Malibu Stakes which brought his year's earnings to $1,875,200, making him the sport's money leader. He had recorded nine starts, six wins, three of these grade one races, one second, one third, and his only unplaced effort was the Derby. His overall performance was superior to any other three-year-old and in January 1987, he was voted the '86 Eclipse three-year-old champion. Stute also trained the year's Eclipse two-year-old champion filly Brave Raj.

Turning for Home

The four-year-old Snow Chief would make six starts in 1987, five of these grade one races and a grade 2, starting with the 1 1/8 mile San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita on January 18. He finished third, three and a half lengths behind the winner Variety Road and Broad Brush. He returned on February 8 for the 1 ¼ mile Charles H. Strub Stakes and his fifth encounter with Ferdinand. Snow Chief led throughout, but Ferdinand was stalking closely and the two rivals hooked up in the stretch run. At the wire, Snow Chief had his nose down first in the very good time of 2:00 flat but well off the stakes, track and world record of 1:57 4/5 set by Spectacular Bid in 1980.

In his rivalry with Ferdinand, Snow Chief had won twice, Ferdinand twice and Snow Chief finished third to Ferdinand's fourth in the San Fernando. One month later, in the Santa Anita Handicap (Gr. 1) the two brilliant horses would meet again, neither finishing on top, but Ferdinand had the better run, finishing second, beaten only a nose by Broad Brush, while Snow Chief was fifth, seven lengths behind the winner.

At the end of the month Snow Chief traveled back to Florida for the Gulfstream Park Handicap and his third consecutive 1 ¼ mile race. Giving six pounds to eventual winner Skip Trial and four to runner-up Crème Fraich, Snow Chief came home third. One of his best races was still ahead of him.

The son of Reflected Glory traveled to Oaklawn Park in Arkansas for the Oaklawn Handicap (Gr.2) on April 17. In a field of seven, Snow Chief and Lyphard's Ridge vied for the lead until Snow Chief grabbed it for keeps in the backstretch. Rounding the far turn, he began to pull away while covering six panels in 1:10 1/5 and a mile in 1:34 3/5. He roared home keeping late closer Red Attack safe by three-quarters of a length. Snow Chief had negotiated the 1 1/8 miles in 1:46 3/5, which eclipsed Wild Again's old mark set in 1984.

Exit

Snow Chief resumed racing on June 7 in Hollywood Park's 1 1/8 mile Californian, but finished third after carrying 126 pounds, conceding eight and eleven pounds to winner Judge Angelucci and second horse Iron Eyes respectively. He did not come out of the contest unscathed and suffered an injured tendon to his left front leg. It was Snow Chief's last start.

This wonderful colt excited with 24 starts, 13 wins, 3 seconds and 5 thirds. His career earnings of $3,383,210 was the fourth highest ever at that time. Snow Chief then became the first California-bred horse to become a stallion in his home state after receiving an Eclipse award.

The Stallion

Snow Chief began his second career as a stallion at Mira Loma Farm before moving to Eagle Oak Ranch. Among his progeny were grade 2 winning gelding College Town from 64 starts, and black-type winner Snow Blink, a dark bay/brown horse from 97 starts. A few of his non-black-type winners were the gelding Arp, from 119 starts, Arriving Snow from 36 starts, and the gray/roan filly Mimi's Cafe from 38 starts.

Named after the great horse, Hollywood Park's 1 1/8 mile Snow Chief Stakes is the richest California-bred race.

Farewell to a Champion

Snow Chief enjoyed a long life in California. On May 15, 2010, the same day as the 135th Preakness, where he had experienced his greatest moment a quarter of a century ago, Snow Chief died of an apparent heart attack at Eagle Oak at age twenty-seven. Snow Chief was a worthy champion, a horse who came from relative obscurity to do great things. His legacy and achievements will never be forgotten and Thoroughbred racing will always be indebted to him for the significant contributions he added to it.

*The Santa Catalina Stakes was renamed the Robert B. Lewis Stakes a few years ago.

Resources and Suggested Reading

Daily Racing Form, The American Racing Manual, 1992 (Highstown, N.J., Daily Racing Form, 1992).

Daily Racing Form, Champions: The Lives, Times, and Past Performances of America's Greatest Thoroughbreds (New York: Daily Racing Form Press, 2005).

Associated Press report, Ocala Star-Banner, September 5, 1985.

Associated Press, “Louisiana Slew Scores,” Ocala Star-Banner, October 3, 1985.

Associated Press, “Snow Chief's new headgear an improvement,” The Miami News, December 16, 1985.

Emily Shields, “Snow Chief: King Of His Domain,” California Thoroughbred, July 2010.

“Snow Chief youngest to top a million,” New Straits Times, January 14, 1986.

“Rich Horse Wins,” The Spokesman-Review, February 3, 1986.

Art Grace, “Stute, Snow Chief could do no wrong,” The Miami News, March 3, 1986.

Thoroughbred Times Co. Inc., The Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac, 2009 (Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Times Books, 2008).

Bernie Dickman, “Snow Chief Takes Big Step With Florida Derby Victory,” Ocala Star-Banner, March 2, 1986.

Joey Holleman (Associated Press writer), “Hialeah Taken By Badger Land,” Aiken Standard, April 6, 1986.

Larry Bortstein, “Snow Chief makes derby race old hat,” The Orange County Register, April 7, 1986.

Bill Christine, “Derby Favorite Snow Chief Gets Little Respect” (from the Los Angeles Times), The Post-Standard, May 3, 1986.

Associated Press, “Snow Chief pulls away to capture Preakness,” The Salina Journal, May 18, 1986.

Larry Bortstein, “Melair shows the boys with 1:32 4/5 mile,” The Orange County Register, July 6, 1986.

Associated Press, “Surgery For Snow Chief,” Toledo Blade, July 12, 1986.

Associated Press, “Ferdinand and Snow Chief take the battle to the Wire,” The Miami News, February 9, 1987.

Harry King, “Snow Chief Shakes Off Challenges,” Schenectady Gazette, April 18, 1987.

U.P.I., “Snow Chief's run could be over,” The Courier, June 14, 1987.

Associated Press, “Snow Chief Stays Put. Famed Horse At Mira Loma,” Ocala Star-Banner, July 9, 1987.

Jack Shinar, “Snow Chief Stakes Tops Hollywood's Gold Rush,” BloodHorse.com, April 21, 23, 2011.

Equineline.com. http://www.equineline.com/

Pedigreequery.com. http://www.pedigreequery.com/

Copyright 2011, 2012 by John Califano