Sears sweeps series finals

May 20, 2007

Driver Brian Sears snapped up victories in both major stakes on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, taking the $185,000 Arthur Cutler Memorial with Sand Vic and the $285,000 Graduate with Lis Mara.

Sears and Sand Vic sailed to their second straight win in the Cutler Memorial. Starting from the rail, Sears and his charge yielded willingly to Ripped as that one fired to the front and led the field through fractions of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:24.4. Sears seized an opening in the stretch and Sand Vic held off Brunton Tilly in the final strides to win by a head in 1:52.4. Med Vac held on for third.

�He really kind of surprised me tonight,� Sears said of Sand Vic. �The trip worked out, but if he would have finished second or third, I wouldn�t have taken anything away from him because it was a big effort tonight, being his second start back. The half went in :56.2 and I was able to slip out onto John�s back (Campbell and Corleone Kosmos), so everything worked out good."

Sand Vic was voted the 2006 Older Trotter of the Year for an incredible season that included victories in every major trotting stakes at the Meadowlands. The Trond Smedshammer trainee completed a sweep of the Cutler, Titan Cup, Breeders Crown and Nat Ray, ending the season with 10 wins in 18 starts and $1.1 million in earnings. The 6-year-old gelding is owned by August Fredrik Miedel of Pompano Beach, Fla.

Two races later, Sears was back in the winner�s circle with Lis Mara in the $285,000 Graduate final.

Lis Mara employed his powerful backside brush to take the lead from Artistic Fella in a :53.4 half and sprinted off to a 1 3/4-length victory over his stablemate, Shark Gesture in 1:49. JK CU Later rallied off a third-over trip to nab the show spot.

"I waited for Cat (Manzi and Artistic Fella) to get to the front and made my move as soon as he crossed over,� Sears said. �He�s got a real big engine and it makes my job so much easier when you�ve got a horse like that. Everybody involved with this horse has done a great job. He�s super and, knock on wood, I look forward to a big year with him.�

Erv Miller trains the 2006 Older Pacer of the Year, who is now a perfect three-for-three this season. Lifetime, the 5-year-old son of Cambest has won 21 of 49 races for earnings of $1,354,021. Owners MJG Racing Stables (Mike Gulotta, James Hess, John Jarka and Otis Ray) and Andy Willinger have pledged a percentage of Lis Mara�s earnings this season to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, which places retired racehorses in adoptive homes. (Meadowlands)

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