YONKERS, NY, Saturday, June 23, 2012—Sapphire City (Brent Holland) went the distance Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $44,000 Open Handicap Pace.
In a hurry from post position No. 2, Sapphire City pocketed longshot Bettor
Design (Larry Stalbaum) before a :27.2 opening quarter-mile. From there, he
rated a 29-second next stanza (:56.2 half) before Nob Hill High (Jordan
Stratton) moved from fourth.
Sapphire City had things his own way in and out of the 1:24.2 three-quarters,
taking a 2½ -length lead into the lane. He finished his night's work winning by
three lengths in 1:52. Nob Hill High photoed Bettor Design for second, with
River Shark (Eric Goodell) and slight 2-1 choice Hypnotist (Cat Manzi) grabbing
the small change.
For Sapphire City, a 4-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by Paul Blumenfeld
for co-owners Centaur Stable and Jordan Sklut, he returned $8.70 (fifth choice)
for his seventh win in 18 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $75.70, with the
triple returning $541.
Special Saturday props to True Desire (Stalbaum), whose 53-1 upset ($109) from
the eight-hole in the $26,500, ninth-race pace was the highest local win mutuel
of the season.
The Raceway continues its normal five-night-per-week live
schedule, with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon
simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.
