by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Brian Sears began his work night needing six wins to turn over the odometer yet again, and he nearly did just that.

Sears sat in the waiting room of the 9,000 win plateau Monday night (Oct. 27), winning four of his 10 drives during Yonkers Raceway’s 12-race card to get within two of that milestone.

Mike Lizzi photo

Bettor Business was one of four winning drives on Monday at Yonkers for Brian Sears.

He began the evening with a pair of odds-on halves of a chalky, $7.80 early daily double, Bettor Business ($3.30) in the $9,000 pacing opener (1:56.2) and Do It For Annie ($3.20) in the $9,000 second race trot (1:58.4).

After having the gall not to win either of the next two races, Sears strolled with favored Annapolis ($4.90) in the fifth race trot (2:04.4 for the mile and one-sixteenth).

Win No. 4 came when Supplemental Income ($6.30) nailed the leader late in the sixth race pace (1:55.2).

He next four assignments finished sixth, fifth, fifth and second, respectively.

A 46-year-old native of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Sears — the Raceway’s defending driving champion — has career purse earnings in excess of $158 million.

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.