Last laurels of the 2013 season went to Sapphire City and Eric Carlson, who won Yonkers Raceway's $37,000 Open Pace on Saturday night.
In the fray early from post position No. 3, Sapphire City, along with Dream Out Loud N (Matt Kakaley) and Dallenbach Hanover (Larry Stalbaum), led the legions.
They were 1-2-3 through early intervals of :27 and :55.2. Escape The News (George Brennan), as the 9-5 favourite, moved from fifth, but offered nothing toward a 1:23.1 three-quarters.
Meanwhile, Sapphire City owned a length and a half lead into the lane, then held sway. He defeated the other leavers, Dream Out Loud N and Dallenbach Hanover in 1:51.3. The margin over the former was a half-length, with Dallenbach Hanover, P H Supercam (Jason Bartlett) and Pan From Nantucket (Eric Goodell) settling for the remainder.
Sapphire City, a five-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by Paul Blumenfeld for co-owners Centaur Stables and Jordan Sklut, returned $6.30 (second choice) for his eighth win in 36 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $38.80, with the triple returning $555.
The Raceway's 2014 live schedule begins Monday, Jan. 6, pending NYS Gaming Commission approval.
(Yonkers Raceway)