BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, August 3, 2013--Sapphire City (Jason Bartlett) was
carried where he needed to be Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $46,000
Open Handicap Pace.
Assigned post position No. 2 and a week after breaking leaving, "Sapphire"
had no choice but to get away second. This after pylon participant
Holdingallthecards (Dan Dube) made his early intentions known--well, early.
However, Holdingallthecards wasn't quite done, holding the fort in and out of a
1:23.3 three-quarters.
Early stretch saw Clear Vision about to win the battle, but lose the war. He
did dispose of Holdingallthecards, but Sapphire City ducked inside and
prevailed. The margin was a length in 1:51.2. Third went to Fat Man's Alley
(Brent Holland)--who shares the 1:50.2 all-age track record with the
winner--while Mr. Hasani N (birthday boy Eric Goodell) and Holdingallthecards
rounding out the payees.
For second choice Sapphire City, a 5-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by
Paul Blumenfeld for co-owners Centaur Stables and Jordan Sklut, he returned
$4.60 for his fifth win in 21 seasonal starts (career earnings now over a
half-million dollars). The exacta paid $15.20, with the triple returning
$68.50.
Saturday night's baker's-dozen buffet handled $1,018,604, the Raceway’s second
seven-figure program of the season.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, 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.
