Snap Decision begins championship push in Lonesome Glory steeplechase

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Despite winning two Grade 1 stakes in 2022, Snap Decision lost out on an Eclipse Award as North America’s top steeplechase horse to Hewick, whose lone North American victory came at Snap Decision’s expense in the Grade 1 Grand National at Far Hills last October.

With the goal of making Snap Decision a champion this year, trainer Jack Fisher has taken a different approach to the 9-year-old gelding’s 2023 campaign. Fisher opted to skip the Saratoga meet with Snap Decision to have a fresh horse for two Grade 1 stakes in the next five weeks.

The first of those Grade 1 events is Thursday’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Stakes at Aqueduct. Thursday is opening day of what is billed as the Belmont at the Big A meeting. The Lonesome Glory will go as the first race on a 10-race card that has a 1:05 p.m. post. The other scheduled steeplechase race, the $75,000 William Entenmann Stakes, was not used.

Following the Lonesome Glory, Snap Decision will be pointed to the Grand National at Far Hills on Oct. 21 in New Jersey.

Snap Decision has only run twice this season. In April, Snap Decision won the Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey in Middleburg, Va. Three weeks later, in the Grade 1 Iroquois at Nashville, he finished second to European invader Scaramanga in the Grade 1 Iroquois.

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Fisher said Snap Decision entrapped his epiglottis in the Iroquois and underwent throat surgery shortly after the race.

“He always made a noise, we figured what the hell we’ll do it,” Fisher said. “He’s still making a noise but not as much. I think all systems are go with him.”

Snap Decision, a winner of 14 of 39 career starts, may have never been more impressive than he was in winning the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard in front-running fashion by 13 1/4 lengths in August 2022 at Saratoga. He carried 164 pounds that day, conceding 11 to 24 pounds to the field.

Thursday, Snap Decision will carry 162 pounds under jockey Graham Watters, conceding 20 to 22 pounds to seven rivals. He does look again to be the primary speed in the 2 1/2-mile event.

“I think Snap’s a standout,” said Fisher, who also entered Proven Innocent and City Dreamer in the field.

Fisher had expressed concern about Scorpion’s Revenge being his main rival, but ultimately that horse was not entered in the field.

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Arch Kingsley entered four in the Lonesome Glory, including Merry Maker and L’Imperator, fourth and fifth, respectively, in this year’s Sheppard, as well as Barbados, fourth in the Jonathan Kiser in July at Saratoga, and Cibolian, a recent maiden winner over the jumps at Colonial Downs.

Keri Brion sends out Restitution, who left the course during the running of the Jonathan Kiser Stakes, his only start in the United States.

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