PALM BEACH, Fla.--Snap Decision was finally presented with the steeplechasing Eclipse Award for an outstanding year in a career during which he was a finalist for the award five times.

Snap Decision's connections, Jack Fisher, Charlie Fenwick, Graham Watters and Mike Hankin, accept the Eclipse Award.
The dinner and Eclipse Award ceremonies were held at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach on Thursday, Jan. 23..

Snap won the Eclipse award as the year's only two-time G1 winner.

Owned by Bruton Street-US, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Waters, Snap Decision in 2024 had his third straight win in the G2 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Stakes in April, his third win in the G1 Iroquois Stakes in May. a third place finish in the G3 Mariann de Tejeda Stakes, an incredibly gritty and exciting win in the G1 American Grand National at Far Hills and a third-place finish in the G1 Colonial Cup in November.

Snap couldn't race in the two G1 races at Saratoga or in the Lonesome Glory as NYRA has ruled that 10 year olds and up cannot race in New York.

 

HIS CONNECTIONS, Mike Hankin and Charlie Fenwick as two of the three partners in Bruton Street, Fisher and Watters went to the stage to accept the award, with Hankin taking the microphone to thank all those involved in Snap's success.

Charlie Noell, the third partner in Bruton Street, was unable to attend.

Fenwick said that the presentation was made a little more special as Jenna Elliot, Snap's groom, made their introduction and was on the stage with them.

 Elliott's name had been randomly selected from 340 entries to win the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards Sweepstakes, so she was guest at the Award ceremony and was allowed to make an introduction of her choice.

"It was so special," said Hankin. "It was a wonderful night. All of racing's best were there. I felt humbled to be a part of Snap's team. It was a bit overwhelming when you realized that all those horses were the best in the world."

"The announcer took time to comment on Snap's connection to flat racing, having been bred by the Phipps, and saying that Snap's grand-dam was Personal Ensign, a great race mare also bred by the Phipps. Then they showed a video of Snap's stretch run in the Grand National."

"Snap has won 14 races and over $1 million for us," said Fenwick. "He shows up all the time. That race at Far Hills was the best race he ever ran. It certainly was the most exciting."

Snap was headed in the stretch by Galvin, an Irish import trained by Gordon Elliott, and looked beaten, but he fought back and won by a neck in the last stride.

Now 11 years old, Snap will race again this year.

"He's jogging now," said Fisher. "We'll do the same as we did last year. he'll run at Middleburg and in the Iroquois. Whether he'll run after that, I'll leave it up to the owners."

"Jack is the trainer, I defer all decisions to him," said Hankin.

"I think on the day that he's as good as he ever was," said Fenwick. "He might be a bit more picky about conditions. He doesn't like soft going."