Urgent Action (Jason Bartlett) grinded by Sapphire City (Brent Holland) near the wire Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $44,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Leaving from post position No. 5, Urgent Action was content to spectate early as 13-10 choice Sapphire City was on the cheap early, as in a :27.2 opening quarter-mile and :56.3 intermission. Urgent Action then moved from sixth, with Rockin Glory (Dan Dube)--last week's winner and this week's eight-hole assignee--in behind.

Meanwhile, Sapphire City found a 1:25 three-quarters, taking a length and a quarter lead into the lane. Urgent Action just kept on advancing, getting to the leader late and prevailing by a head in 1:52.3. Rockin Glory was third beaten two and three-quarter lengths, while Nob Hill High (Jordan Stratton) and Jerrys Brown Gold (Pat Lachance) completed the cashers.

For Urgent Action, a five-year-old son of Artsplace owned by Marvin Rounick and trained by Richie Silverman, he returned (sixth choice) for his fifth win (third consecutive locally) in 18 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $106,with the triple returning $1,164.

(Yonkers Raceway)