Snap Decision Day: Foxfield Picks & Preview

History lesson time.

Just three horses have earned more than $1 million in North American steeplechase history – McDynamo with $1,310,104, Lonesome Glory with $1,215,809 (he earned a $250,000 bonus which doesn’t factor in the official NSA standings so he comes in at 965,809 on that leaderboard; he also won twice in England and another $75,000 bonus for one of those) and Good Night Shirt with $1,006,493. All three are in Thoroughred racing’s Hall of Fame.

No pressure or anything, but Snap Decision can join them with a win in the $75,000 Mariann de Tejeda Memorial at the Foxfield Races in Charlottesville, Va. The 10-year-old carries a three-race winning streak into the race and faces five rivals while conceding 12-20 pounds in the handicap. Trained by Jack Fisher for Bruton Street-US, Snap Decision makes his first start since May in the 2 1/8-mile race which will help prep him for richer autumn targets this month and next.

Named for the race meet founder, the feature highlights a seven-race card that starts at noon. You can watch the live stream Sunday (not Saturday) on the NSA website.

Last week at a soggy Shawan Downs, the Snap Decision connections won the hurdle feature, a $35,000 allowance for non-winners of two as Beat Le Bon galloped in 20 lengths clear after a challenger fell at the last fence. The winner led throughout for Graham Watters before Palio chipped into the margin, drew alongside and went down with jockey Stephen Mulqueen. They walked away. Walk The Warrior finished second with Blue Nile and even more distant third. Fisher wound up with four winners on the day – adding a maiden hurdle with Doesn’t Sting (Watters) for Bruton Street, an open timber with Queens Empire (Virginia Korrell) for Riverdee Stable and a maiden timber with Keys Discount (Whitney Schweizer) for Dolly Fisher. The quadruple put the trainer within two (21-19) of Leslie Young on the leaderboard. In other Shawan action, Upland Flats Racing won a 3-year-old maiden hurdle with Blue Creek from the Keri Brion barn. Mulqueen rode the winner, a son of Demarchelier. Trainer Ricky Hendriks went 1-2 in the 115 handicap as I Am Fortunata (Korrell) edged Soviet Pimpernel by a neck. Two Past Eight looked like a winner before losing Jamie Bargary with a mistake at the last.

The TIHR handicappers get back in the tack after a middling day at Shawn Downs. Joe had two winners, Blue Creek and Beat Le Bon. Sean had one (Blue Creek). Tom was blanked.

First race. $20,000 maiden claiming hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Ten make the field with two on the also-eligible list. Dad’s Lil Spark waives the $15,000 claiming price in his debut for trainer/jockey Mell Boucher. Elusive was busy at Colonial Downs, finishing second on the flat and over jumps for Doug Fout. Lord Donegal’s last two on the flat were good. His two hurdle starts in May weren’t much. Pavoni drops to a new level. Cant Catch Camacho finished third in Ireland late last year.

• Joe: Pavoni, Lord Donegal, Elusive.
• Sean: Pavoni, Cant Catch Camacho, Lord Donegal.
• Tom: Yup Ya Boy Ya, Pavoni, Lord Donegal.

Second race. $35,000 filly/mare maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Another full field of 10 but, as usual, not much to go on with the distaff hurdlers. Ex-Alan King runner Avakate is interesting for Neil Morris. Stablemate Love Foreverafter fits too. Easy Squeeze was going to win before she fell late at Old Dominion. Belle Wish makes her U.S. debut after winning an Irish point-to-point in May (after falling two weeks prior).

• Joe: Belle Wish, Avakate, Easy Squeeze.
• Sean: Easy Squeeze, Belle Wish, Love Foreverafter.
• Tom: Madaket’s Arrow, Belle Wish, Avakate.

Third race. $40,000 maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Ten more maidens (with two on the AE list) line up here. First timers The Wizards Well, Thistimetomorrow, St. Neots, Love Shaq, Harrenhal and Marcel Magic take on a few with experience. Lowcountry has placed three times in eight starts over jumps. Tolaga Bay was third way back in 2021. I Can Only Imagine finished third last year at Virginia Fall and was headed for a win when brought down by a fallen jockey – yes, really – at Montpelier last year.

• Joe: I Can Only Imagine, The Wizards Well, Thistimetomorrow.
• Sean: The Wizards Well, I Can Only Imagine, Thistimetomorrow.
• Tom: The Wizards Well, Love Shaq, St. Neots.

Fourth race. $30,000 Handicap hurdle (110 and below) going 2 1/8 miles. Penicillin Success and Clara Belle get the highweights at 158. Icandothat has won twice and was third on the flat at Colonial in September.

• Joe: Penicillin Success, Icandothat, Webb.
• Sean: Penicillin Success, Molly Fantasy, Icandothat.
• Tom: Penicillin Success, Molly Fantasy, Icandothat.

Fifth race. $40,000 Handicap hurdle (120 and below) going 2 1/8 miles. It only seems like He’ll Do wins these all the time. Or does it? He’s won four handicap hurdles, two off long layoffs and one at Foxfield. Here he is again, making his first start in almost a year. The 8-year-old hasn’t run since winning a 115 at Great Meadow last October. He faces seven in here topped by the 3-for-4 Jimmy Dan, the capable Decisive Triumph, Hold Hard off a disappointing run as the favorite at Saratoga, two-time winner Lydford, better-than-his-last Kiyomori and the dangerous Foxy Walk, plus Blue Nile back in a week. Tough group.

• Joe: Lydford, Jimmy Dan, Foxy Walk.
• Sean: Lydford, Jimmy Dan, Foxy Walk.
• Tom: Jimmy Dan, Lydford, He’ll Do.

Sixth race. $75,000 Mariann de Tejeda Memorial hurdle stakes going 2 1/8 miles. Foxfield hosted the American Grand National a few times (Anybody remember Zaccio/Sailor’s Clue) and used to showcase the classy Victorian Hill in an open race every spring and fall. Snap Decision shows up here and, while he might need the run, will be tough to handle if the ground is anywhere near to his liking. Like most of the region, Charlottesville received plenty of rain lately, but the course ought to be drying out and where else would you land? Total Joy won over the course in April, but faces open company for the first time. Welshman won over the course in 2022, but he probably doesn’t want soft turf either. Cool Jet might handle it, though he’s unproven at this level. Sebastopol couldn’t handle Snap Decision at Middleburg or Nashville this spring. The ground will help. Is he quick enough? Who’s Counting loves the place with handicap wins there last fall and this spring, but he’s never met a group this good. Love the flat win last time at Laurel. Love the eight total wins (four jump, four flat). But he’s got to beat Snap Decision. The favorite is undefeated in two starts this year – the Temple Gwathmey in April and the Iroquois in May – and closed last year with a win at Great Meadow. The Hard Spun gelding has won 15 of his 25 jump starts, with seven seconds, and $959,400 earned (fourth on the all-time list). After Sunday, he’ll head to the $250,000 Grand National at Far Hills Oct. 19 or the $150,000 William Allison Stakes at Glenwood Park Oct. 27 and then the $150,000 Colonial Cup Nov. 17 in Camden, S.C.

• Joe: Snap Decision, Who’s Counting, Cool Jet.
• Sean: Snap Decision, Sebastopol, Cool Jet.
• Tom: Snap Decision, Welshman, Sebastopol.

Seventh race. Training flat race going 1 1/2 miles. Everybody wants to run. Fourteen make the field with two (Too Friendly and Old Tom Morris) on the AE list. High Definition, Abaan, Merry Maker, Jimmy P and Right Tempo prep for stakes company.

• Joe: High Definition, Cartographer, Abaan.
• Sean: High Definition, The Addison Pour, Abaan.
• Tom: Abaan, Merry Maker, Zabeel. Champion.