CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--Jack Fisher saddled Smart Uncle to win the featured $75,000, 2 1/8 mile Daniel Van Clief Memorial Novice Hurdle Stakes on Saturday, April 26 at the Foxfield Spring Races.

Smart Uncle winning at Aiken last November (Photo by Tod Marks)Fisher and Leslie Young each won two races at Foxfield and Kathy Neilson won one race, and now the three are tied for the lead in the National Steeplechase's Trainer, Races Won, with seven wins each.

Fisher leads in Trainer, Money Won with $236,050 over Young with $186,950, and Mark Beecher with $134,850.

This was Smart Uncle's third consecutive win over hurdles, having broken his maiden at Pine Mountain last November, followed by an Allowance win at Aiken Fall.

Mrs. S.K. Johnston Jr.'s Smart Uncle, ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, won by 1 3/4 lengths in 4:05 3/5 over Travesuras, trained by Cyril Murphy, and Clifton Downs (Ire), trained by Todd McKenna.

"He's a nice horse," said Fisher. "He'll go next to Iroquois."

Fisher also saddled Riverdee Stable's Vintage Year to win the $30,000 Maiden Hurdle by 1 length in 4:07 1/5 over Point Me By, trained by Julie Gomena, and Dynamite Dan (Ire), trained by Tom Garner.

"I wanted to start him in a maiden claiming race,"said Fisher. "Luckily, the owner talked me out of it. He'll go to Laurel next."

 

YOUNG also won two races at Foxfield, including the $50,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle.

Michael A.Smith's Foxy Walk (Ire), ridden by Luke Carberry, won the race by 3/4 length in 3:57 3/5 over Cool Jet (Ire), trained by Fisher, and Proven Innocent, also trained by Fisher.

Young also saddled Two Past Eight (GB), owned by Silverton Hill and ridden by Carberry, to win the $35,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 5 3/4 lengths in 4:02 3/5 over The Insider (Ire0, trained by Keri Brion, and Icandothat, trained by Sean McDermott.

Neilson saddled Hard Game's Selassie, ridden by Evan Dwan, to win the $20,000 Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 18 lengths in 4:06 4/5 over Thatsmyboxer, trained by Neil Morris, and Made the Cut, trained by Lillith Boucher.

Murphy saddled King of the Kids, owned by James B. Steele Jr., and ridden by Harry Beswick, to win the $30,000 Optional Starter Allowance Hurdle by 3/4 length in 4:03 1/5 over Lighting Rod, trained by Laird George, and Bright Eyed Eagle (Ire), trained by Neilson.