After being shut out on the Thursday night card, harness racing's driver of the decade didn't waste any time in hitting a career milestone on Friday night as Brian Sears notched his 7,000th win at the Meadowlands
Racetrack in the first race aboard the Lou Pena-trained Muscles Marinara.
The U.S. Harness Writers Association named Sears the 2009 Driver of the Year for campaigning Muscle Hill into harness racing’s record books last season. Muscle Hill’s stunning 1:50.1 Hambletonian victory helped propel the reinsman to a single-day earnings record of $1,555,674 on August 8, 2009. His five wins on the card included the $783,042 Hambletonian Oaks with Broadway Schooner, making Sears the first driver to win both trotting events in the same year.
A third generation horseman, Sears joined the Meadowlands driving colony seven years ago and won five straight driving titles from 2005-2009. The 42-year-old Secaucus, NJ resident currently ranks second in the Meadowlands standings behind George Brennan. However, the summer stakes season looks bright for Sears. He has been named as the driver of defending two-year-old pacing colt champion Sportswriter, who is eligible to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 17.
For the results from Friday night at the Big M, click here.
(with files from Meadowlands)