Odds-on favourite Sapphire City, driven by Brent Holland, lasted on a windy lead Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $35,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Assigned post position No. 4, Sapphire City eschewed an early seat behind Eighteen (Mark MacDonald), instead making the lead before a :26.4 quarter-mile.
From there, it was a :56.1 intermission before eight-hole ordered Great Vintage (George Brennan)--who tucked in fifth--was on the prowl. He engaged the leader through a :27.3 third quarter (1:23.4) before giving way.
Sapphire City was then able to steal a couple of lengths in and out of the final turn, and he'd need 'em. Eighteen closed ranks in the pocket, while the invading millionaire Annieswesterncard (Yannick Gingras) moved from second-over.
However, it was all-age track record holder Sapphire City finishing what he started, prevailing by a diminishing half-length in 1:52.1. "Annie" snatched second over Eighteen, with Hypnotist (Larry Stalbaum) and Mainland Key N (Eric Goodell) settling for the small change.
For Sapphire City, a four-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by Paul Blumenfeld for co-owners Centaur Stable and Jordan Sklut, he returned $3.20 for his 10th win in 36 seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $11.40, with the triple returning $102.
Saturday props also to the 13-year-old gelding Forest Vic A (Steve Smith), who closed from last to win the $24,000, 11th race pace (1:55.2) at a healthy $93.50 mutuel. It was "Vic's" 47th career vic-tory
(Yonkers Raceway)