YONKERS,
NY, Saturday, June 23, 2012—Sapphire City (Brent Holland) duplicated last
week's down-the-road effort Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $44,000
Open Handicap Pace.
Leaving from post position No. 2--again--Sapphire City stepped around Hypnotist
(Cat Manzi), then pocketed Jerry's Brown Gold (Pat Lachance). There was no room
at the inn early for 3-10 choice for Real Nice (Jason Bartlett), who found
himself parked at the 27-second opening quarter-mile.
Real Nice eventually found a seat fourth, only to be on the move again before a
rated :56.4 intermission.
Sapphire City continued to lead in and out of the 1:23.4 three-quarters,
refusing to relent to the people's preference. Real Nice eventually backed
away, with Sapphire City opening a length-and-a-half turning for home.
He finished it off from there, whipping a deep-in-the-passing-lane Hypnotist by
a half-length in 1:52…matching last week's time. Third went to Jerry's Brown
Gold, with Fitz's Z Tam (Larry Stalbaum) and Real Nice settling for the small
change.
For Sapphire City, a 4-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by Paul Blumenfeld
for co-owners Centaur Stable and Jordan Sklut, returned $9.20 (second choice)
for his eighth win in 19 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $155.50, with the
triple returning $588.
