Yonkers: Western Fame romps as Dube, Allard continue Levy Series final dominance

Driver Daniel Dube and trainer Rene Allard maintained their vise-like grip on the final of the George Morton Levy Series, with Western Fame giving the duo their fourth Levy score in the last five years by annexing Saturday night's $664,000 final for free-for-all pacers in 1:50 4/5, tying the stakes record.

Leaving from post five in the field of eight, Dube sent Western Fame, and he pushed on to the front around JJ Flynn (Tim Tetrick) near the 26 4/5 opening quarter. Dube and Western Fame then saw no pressure in the second quarter, which allowed the driver to steal a breather, reaching the half in 55 3/5.

Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland), who had shown speed from post eight to get into fourth early, came first-up prior to the half, and he would advance into second as they raced in the backstretch for the second time, but Dube asked Western Fame to rebuff Ideal Jimmy's bid, and rebuff it he did, stuffing him into the pocket in front of a fading JJ Flynn at the 1:22 3/5 three-quarters.

Around the last turn and through the lane it was all Western Fame, as he had speed the others simply couldn't match, allowing Dube to celebrate the 4 3/4 length verdict to the wire. Rodeo Rock (Andrew McCarthy) rallied from last at the half to second at the wire, with More The Better (Scott Zeron), Ideal Jimmy, and The Wall (Andy Miller) completing the top-five.

"Keystone Velocity won this race twice (2016 and 2017), which is pretty good, and this one, he's something special too," remarked Dube. "Those fractions look kind of fast for him, but he did that very nice and easy. Turning for home he gave me another run again. He just doesn't get tired."

Allard trains Western Fame, a 6-year-old Western Ideal stallion, for owners Go Fast Stable, Stephen Klunowski, B And I Stables LLC., and Gilbert Short. Western Fame made his 21st appearance in the winner's circle, and he has now pocketed $1,487,320. The 1-5 favorite, Western Fame paid $2.50 to win.

"You've got to have the horse for this series to start with. I think that helps a lot," said Allard. "I think we had the best horse this year going in, and he's been ultra-consistent. It's a bit of a stressful thing - every week, every week. The one week where he got second he tied up, but the thing about it is you've got to come right back the week after and the week after. We were back and forth talking with the owners, asking are we going to miss the last leg and just go for the final? I said 'the horse is on a good routine and he's feeling good, what if we skip a week and something changes his routine and he doesn't show up for the final?' We decided to race him last week, and he showed up again tonight. After tonight he's definitely getting a week off, that's for sure.

"Two weeks from now he's in an invitational race at Pocono - the Van Rose, and after that he's got a race at Harrah's Philadelphia that I'm guessing he'll be invited to. He's staked to almost everything."

One race prior to the final there was a $100,000 Levy Series consolation, and it went to a rallying Somewhere In L A (Jason Bartlett) in 1:51 2/5. Somewhere In L A, an 8-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding, is trained by Richie Banca for owners D`Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P Stable, and The Gandolfo Stables. Somewhere In L A is now a 41-time winner, and he shows a bankroll of $1,708,616. An 8-1 offering, he returned $18.80 to win.