BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, December 6, 2014— Sapphire City (Eric
Carlson) snapped Ronny Bugatti (Tyler Buter) at the wire Saturday night,
winning Yonkers Raceway's $35,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Those
two had some "sloppy" numbers to chase, as 11-10 choice Beach
Memories (George Brennan) rolled through intervals of :26.4, :55.1 and
1:22.4. He opened to two lengths turning for home, but was about to hit the
skids. Ronny Bugatti, who had come first-up, slipped in for a breather after
pocket-sitting Orillia Joe (Brent Holland) quit.
Right
behind "Ronny" was Sapphire City who, from post position No. 3, had
advanced down the backside. Those two had the length of the lane to decide it,
with Sapphire City winning by a desperate head in 1:52. It was a from-last P H
Supercam (Jason Bartlett)--again on display late--grabbing third, with Beach
Memories and E Street Plan (Matt Kakaley) settling for the remainder.
For
slight second choice Sapphire City, a 6-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained
by Paul Blumenfeld for co-owners Centaur Stable and Jordan Sklut, he returned
$11.40 for his eighth win (fourth consecutive) in 37 seasonal starts. The
exacta paid $57.50, with the triple returning $323.50.
The Raceway's five-program-per-week live schedule continues through Dec. 14,
with first post every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM, and the
fifth of six Sunday matinees (replacing Tuesday evenings) next weekend just
after 11 AM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs, with
afternoon simulcasting available daily.
