Martin and Pam Wygod's homebred Clear Attempt stalked the early pace set by Yield Bogey in Wednesday's Grade 3, $150,000 Poker Stakes at Belmont Park, ranged up to his rival's outside rounding the turn and took command entering the stretch under jockey Jose Lezcano. The duo maintained a safe margin throughout the lane, holding even-money favorite Compliance Officer by 1 3/4 lengths on the wire while stopping the clock for the firm-turf mile in 1:34.

Clear Attempt was making his stakes debut in this spot and returned $19.80, $6.10 and $4 as the 8-1 fourth pick. Compliance Officer also tracked the early pace and followed Clear Attempt when the A.P. Indy colt made his run rounding the turn. The favorite couldn't keep pace, though, and was forced to settle for second a half-length in front of Yield Bogey on the wire.

"My horse broke very good. He was very comfortable, he didn't pull me," Lezcano described his ride aboard Clear Attempt. "When the favorite moved outside, I moved with him and I kept waiting until the quarter-pole to really ask him. When I asked him, he gave me a good kick and finished good."

Boots Ahead was another 1 1/2 lengths back in fourth while Right One, Voodoo Storm and Gourmet Dinner completed the order of finish. Queen'splatekitten, Monument Hill and El Commodore were all scratched, while Uncle T Seven and Isn't He Perfect were main-track only entrants.

Clear Attempt took five tries to break his maiden, finally getting the job done for trainer Bill Mott last June at Belmont Park. He wouldn't visit the winner's circle again until Churchill Downs' fall meet, when the dark bay colt added a turf allowance win to his resume.

That was his final start of 2011, and the Kentucky-bred made his four-year-old bow at Gulfstream Park in January, running second against optional claiming rivals. He returned under those same conditions in mid-May at Belmont, just missing by a nose that time around, and now owns an 11-3-4-1 mark to go along with $197,902 in lifetime earnings.

"This race wasn't setting up to be terribly, terribly tough, and cutting him back a little bit seemed like the thing to do," assistant trainer Leanna Willaford said. "We've always liked this horse. He's been one we aspired to win a stakes with."

"Bill (Mott) just takes his time (with his horses). He's marinating them," Willaford added.

Clear Attempt is the first stakes winner out of the Benchmark mare Silent Sighs, who scored the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and Sunshine Millions Oaks in 2004. Silent Sighs is a full sister to dual Grade 2 heroine Proposed.