Brian Sears became the 15th driver in harness racing history to win 9,000 races on Tuesday night at Yonkers Raceway.

The milestone win came aboard The Way I Am ($9.80) in the fifth race of Yonkers Raceway’s 12-race program. The three-year-old Muscle Mass gelding went wire-to-wire from post position No. 3, winning the mile-and-one-sixteenth event trot by 8-1/4 lengths in 2:05.4.

Sears began his work night needing two wins for the latest plateau. He took the $11,000 pacing opener with Wayward Son ($7.80), pacing the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 1:59.2.

“It’s great to win (No. 9,000) here, because Yonkers Raceway is my home now,” Sears said, congratulatory sign in tow. “I’m really happy to win it for (trainer) Buzzy (Sholty), because our families have known each other for years and we grew up in the business together.”

A 46-year-old native of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Brian Sears -- Yonkers’s defending driving champion -- has banked more than $160 million in purses during his illustrious career. Prior to relocating his base to Westchester last season, Sears was the leading driver at Vernon Downs, Pompano, the Meadows and the Meadowlands. His escorts have made at least $10 million in purses in all but one of the past 10 full seasons.

(Yonkers)