2024 Eclipse Awards: Snap Decision

It took four tries, but Snap Decision finally won the Grade 1 American Grand National Stakes at Far Hills in New Jersey in October.

The victory may lead to an Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding steeplechaser for Snap Decision. A 10-year-old in 2024, Snap Decision has been nominated for the prestigious award for a remarkable fifth consecutive year.

For the 2023 season, Snap Decision finished second in the balloting to Merry Maker. For his 2024 campaign, Snap Decision has an excellent chance to gain an elusive Eclipse Award.

Racing for the Bruton Street-US partnership and trainer Jack Fisher, Snap Decision won 3 of 5 starts in 2024, with the wins in Grade 1 or Grade 2 races in the spring and fall.

In a way, Snap Decision had two campaigns in 2024, a result of him not being eligible to race in New York. The New York Racing Association, which operates Saratoga and hosts major jump races there, does not permit racehorses aged 10 or older to compete.

Snap Decision was the dominant jumper of the spring. He won his 2024 debut in the Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle by eighth lengths over 2 1/2 miles at Middleburg, Va., on April 20, and followed with a neck win in the Grade 1 Iroquois Stakes at three miles at Percy Warner Park near Nashville on May 11.

That was it for Snap Decision for nearly five months.

:: Full list of 2024 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

A gelding by Hard Spun, Snap Decision returned with essentially a trial race for the Grand National, finishing third in the Grade 3 Mariann de Tejeda Stakes at 2 1/8 miles at Foxfield Races in Charlottesville, Va., on Oct. 6.

Prior to the Grand National, Fisher described Snap Decision’s loss as “a good work.”

The good work resulted in a brilliant performance in the Grand National. Snap Decision got the firm ground he prefers, which had not always been the case in preceding years. The veteran was second in the 2021 running on firm turf, sixth on yielding turf in 2022, and was pulled up on yielding turf in 2023.

Ridden by regular jockey Graham Watters, Snap Decision stalked the pace and took the lead on the turn. Entering the stretch, Snap Decision was challenged by the Irish shipper, and 2-1 favorite, Galvin to his inside and 16-1 High Definition on his outside.

Snap Decision was passed briefly in the final furlong on the uphill course but fought back near the wire to edge Galvin by a neck. The race had a thrilling finish with High Definition finishing third by a half-length.

Snap Decision paid $7.80 in his only race of the year with parimutuel betting.

In his final start of 2024, Snap Decision finished third in the Grade 1 Colonial Cup at 2 5/8 miles in Camden, S.C., leading in the stretch before finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind Too Friendly.

For the year, Snap Decision earned $337,500, by far his career best in a single season. Bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable, Snap Decision has won 18 of 47 starts and earned $1,338,334 in a career that began in flat races for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Snap Decision has had a Hall of Fame-caliber jump career, with 16 wins in 28 starts over obstacles. In 2024, the veteran was in peak form in many of the nation’s most prestigious races.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.