On the final circuit of the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory Hurdle at Aqueduct in September, Merry Maker crossed the last obstacle trailing the field of seven. The position was not a major concern for jockey Parker Hendriks, who assessed that Merry Maker was in contention with a half-mile remaining. “My guy just kept grinding to the wire,” Hendriks said. Merry Maker’s sustained rally resulted in a 15-1 upset win in the most prestigious victory of his career. The $150,000 Lonesome Glory at 2 1/2 miles is New York’s top jump race of the autumn. Combined with a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Grand National Hurdle Stakes at Far Hills in New Jersey in October, Merry Maker accomplished enough in 2023 to merit a position as a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the season’s outstanding steeplechaser. :: Full list of 2023 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories The Lonesome Glory was the highlight of the season for Merry Maker, who races for Hurricana Farm and trainer Archibald Kingsley Jr. Merry Maker led a sweep of the first three positions in the Lonesome Glory for Kingsley’s three runners in the field of seven. “I thought he would run a big race,” Hendriks said. “He was all guts and all heart to get it done.” The Lonesome Glory was a handicap, and Merry Maker had a light assignment of 142 pounds compared to top weight of 162 for Snap Decision, a finalist for the 2022 Eclipse Award. Snap Decision, the 1-2 favorite, set the pace in the Lonesome Glory, but faded in the final quarter-mile to finish a well-beaten fourth. Hendriks sensed that Snap Decision was a vulnerable favorite in the last half-mile. “I could see he was fading,” Hendriks told New York Racing Association publicity. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Merry Maker, an Irish-bred gelding by Malinas out of Sparkling Gem, won 2 of 5 starts through 2023. He began his 6-year-old season with a win in an allowance race over hurdles at 2 1/8 miles at Great Meadow in Virginia in May and later finished third in the Jonathan Kiser Novice Hurdle on Aug. 2 at Saratoga. Merry Maker was only fourth of 10 in the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard Hurdle on Aug. 23 at Saratoga in his final start prior to the Lonesome Glory. In the Grand National at 2 5/8 miles, Merry Maker closed from seventh of eight to finish a clear second to surprise winner Noah And The Ark. In his eight-race career, which began with a maiden race win over hurdles in Virginia in the fall of 2021, Merry Maker has earned $197,450. He earned $180,000 in 2023, the highest of the season for an American steeplechaser. Merry Maker’s inexperience left Kingsley hopeful for more improvement from the relatively young runner, who is a 7-year-old in 2024. “It’s a journey with these horses,” he said on the day of the Lonesome Glory. “They develop over time, and it takes time to grow into this kind of horse. You’re looking at a progression of a horse in his development.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.