Yonkers, NY — Western Fame was the top horse in the five preliminary rounds of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series and he proved to be the best again in Saturday’s (April 20) $664,000 championship for older male pacers at Yonkers Raceway. The 6-year-old stallion won the final by 4-3/4 lengths over Rodeo Rock in a stakes-record-equaling 1:50.4. More The Better N was third.

Western Fame won the Levy final by 4-3/4 lengths over Rodeo Rock in a stakes-record-equaling 1:50.4. Mike Lizzi photo.

After an opening quarter-mile skirmish with Anythingforlove A and JJ Flynn, 1-5 favorite Western Fame settled into the lead and never relinquished the top spot from there. The opening quarter was reached in :26.4, the half in :55.3, and three-quarters in 1:22.3.

Ideal Jimmy, who started from post eight and was fourth during the early goings, launched a first-over bid at the halfway point, but was rebuffed by Western Fame’s :27 third quarter. Ideal Jimmy finished fourth.

Dan Dube drove Western Fame, who had four wins and a second in the Levy’s five preliminary rounds, for trainer Rene Allard. The duo won the previous two Levy finals with Keystone Velocity and also captured the championship in 2015 with Domethatagain.

“Those fractions look kind of fast for him, but he did it nice and easy,” Dube said. “Turning for home he gave me another run again. He’s so nice to drive. He never gets tired.”

Western Fame, a son of Western Ideal-Shyaway, has won five of seven races this season and earned $446,300. For his career, he has won 21 of 74 starts and $1.48 million. He is owned by Go Fast Stable, Stephen Klunowski, B & I Stables, and Gilbert Short. His clocking equaled the stakes record set in 1993 by Silver Almahurst.

Somewhere In LA, with Jason Bartlett in the sulky, won the $100,000 Levy consolation. Somewhere In LA has won three of nine races this season and 41 of 145 lifetime, with career purses of $1.70 million. The 8-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-West Of LA is owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P Stable, and The Gandolfo Stables. He is trained by Richard Banca.