NEW KENT, Va.--Leading steeplechase trainer Jack Fisher saddled Mission North to win the $125,000 Find Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday, Aug, 16.

Mission North (Photo by Coady Media)Owned and bred by Northwoods Stable, Mission North, ridden by Forest Boyce, won the 1 1/16 mlle turf Stakes by 3/4 length over Giganter, trained by Steve Asmussen.

Fisher has alternated Mission North between flat races and steeplechase races, with great success in both.

Mission North now has four wins and a third in five starts this year, with an overall record of six wins and two thirds from 13 starts.

Fisher ran hm on the flat in '23 and '24 before winning his first start this year, which was also his first race over fences, at Old Dominion Hounds in a Maiden Special Weight in April.

Since then, he's won the Speedy Smithwick Hurdle Stake at Great Meadow, an Allowance race at Laurel and now in Find Stakes.

"He'll run one more time on the flat at Colonial and then go to the 4-year-old Stakes at Far Hills," said Fisher.

 

MRS. S.K. JOHNSTON JR'S Smart Uncle, trained by Fisher and ridden by Boyce, won a 45,000 Maiden Special Weight, 1 1/16 mile Maiden Special Weight turf race by a nose at Delaware Park on Aug.13.

Smart Uncle has also alternated between flat races and jump races, winning  at both, with four wins, including one in the Daniel Van Clief Memorial Hurdle Stakes in April, four seconds and two thirds from 14 starts.

"I told the jockey, `Don't win,'" said Fisher. "I wanted to win at Kentucky Downs. But a win is a win. He'll stay on the flat for now."

MICHAEL MATZ has had four winners in the past three weeks, all for Runnymoore Racing.

Understudy Kitty won a $47.000. 1 1/16mile Allowance turf race at Delaware Park by 1/2 length on Aug.13.

Understudy Kitty settled off the pace, made a four wide bid on the turn to go to the front and held on for the win.

Also on Aug. 13, Notturno won a $21,000, 1 mile Claiming race by a neck at Delaware Park.

Matz also had two winners in Starter, Optional Claiming races on July 25 at Delaware Park.

Up for It won a $26,000, 5 furlong race by 1 3/4lengths, and Stern Chaser won a $27,000, 1 mile and 70 yards turf race by 1//2 length.

GRAHAM MOTION had three winners, two in Stakes, including Laurelin, whose story in in the Aug. 9 Horse of Delaware Valley.

Warhnan Racing's Heredia (GB) won the G2, $201.500, 1 1/16 mile Yellow Ribbon Handicap turf for fillies and mares 3 and up by 2 1/4 lengths on Aug. 8 at Del Mar.

Proton won a $87,500,5 1/2 furlong Maiden Special Weight for 2-year-old fillies by 4 lengths at Colonial Downs on Aug. 20.