Snap Decision must overcome weighty issue in Jonathan Sheppard Steeplechase
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The old racing adage “weight can stop a freight train” will be in play Wednesday at Saratoga when Snap Decision, the 164-pound highweight, runs in the Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard Handicap Steeplechase going 2 3/8 miles over National fences at Saratoga.
Snap Decision’s hefty weight assignment – he will concede 11 to 24 pounds to the rest of the field – is borne out of a successful steeplechase career in which he’s won two Grade 1s and finished second to The Mean Queen in two more.
“It’s the spread that bothers me,” trainer Jack Fisher said.
Fisher said he didn’t run Snap Decision at Saratoga last summer because of the amount of weight he was going to have to carry and, perhaps more important, concede to the likes of The Mean Queen, who won the Sheppard last year.
“Last year I got some knocks for not showing him off to the Saratoga fans,” Fisher said. “NYRA’s been good to us. That’s why I’ll probably run him.”
In 1995, Mistico won this race, until last year known as the New York Turf Writers Steeplechase Cup, carrying 168 pounds. In 1994, Mistico won it under 164 pounds.
In two steeplechase starts this year, Snap Decision finished second to Iranistan in the Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey and then won the Grade 1 Iroquois by 7 1/4 lengths in May.
Fisher then ran Snap Decision in the Colonial Cup, a 1 1/2-mile flat race at Colonial Downs where he finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by winner Red Knight.
“I thought he ran great at Colonial; he just couldn’t get out in time,” said Fisher, who has Snap Decision nominated to the $135,000 John’s Call Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile flat turf race here Aug. 24.
Graham Watters has the call on Snap Decision.
Trainer Cyril Murphy sends out the uncoupled entry of Belfast Banter and Chief Justice in the Sheppard.
Belfast Banter has raced only once in this country and was beaten 54 lengths in the David Semmes Memorial at Great Meadows in Virginia. That race was run over a boggy turf course. He was sent to the United States in search of firm ground, Murphy said.
“Basically, throw that race out,” Murphy said. “We’re starting from scratch again Wednesday.”
Chief Justice was beaten a neck in the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick here July 20 when the mare Down Royal ran him down late.
“If anything, he got a little bit lonely in front coming into the straight,” Murphy said. “He likes to be aggressive. He’d rather eyeball a horse in the latter stages of a race than be left alone where he was.”
Down Royal will try to become the second mare to win the Sheppard following The Mean Queen’s victory last year. Despite her victory in the Smithwick – her third straight victory – Down Royal gets in with a cozy 143 pounds.
Down Royal is trained by Kate Dalton, whose husband, Bernard, rides. The Daltons are part-owners of the horse.
Trainer Keri Brion won last year’s Sheppard with The Mean Queen. Wednesday, she sends out the pair of Going Country and Historic Heart.
Trainer Leslie Young sends out the pair of Redicean and Song for Someone. Redicean was fifth in the Smithwick. Song for Someone is 7 for 16 over jumps and is making his U.S. debut in this spot.