by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Turns out this season’s model was a tad faster than last season’s model. A third-over Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube, $14.20) rolled over a second-up, 9-10 fave Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) Saturday night (June 17), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $55,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Georgia Panagi photos

Keystone Velocity demonstrates his affinity for Yonkers Raceway as the defending Levy champion wins the Saturday feature.

From post position six, it was Keystone Velocity, the 2017 George Morton Levy Series champ, working out a trip right behind the 2016 Levy winner, Bit Of A Legend N. Both had their sights set on Western Fame (Mark MacDonald) after that one threw down a rather swift gauntlet (:26.3, :55.4, 1:23.4).

Western Fame held a short lead in and out of the final turn, only to get passed by the potent pair. Widest and fastest, Keystone Velocity outgamed Bit Of A Legend N by a half-length in 1:52, the highlight of Dube’s four-win night. Western Fame held third, with a from-last Mach It So (Brent Holland) and Artful Way (Greg Merton) rounding out the payees.

For Keystone Velocity, a 9-year-old son of Western Hanover co-owned as Allard Racing by trainer Rene Allard, Kapildo Singh, Earl Hill Jr. and VIP Internet Stable, it was his fourth win as the fourth choice in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $55, the triple returned $152.50 and the superfecta paid $2,021.

Yonkers returns to Sunday matinees tomorrow (June 18), with a first post of 12:30 p.m.