$532,000 George Morton Levy Memorial

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, April 21, 2018 – Foiled Again has company. Favored Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube, $7) successfully defended his harness racing title Saturday night (Apr. 21st), winning Yonkers Raceway $532,000 of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

The 31st Levy, a Free-For-All event honoring the memory of the harness-racing visionary and Hall of Fame founder of Roosevelt Raceway, wrapped its annual six-week sojourn on a brisk, (theoretically) spring evening.

At the outset, it was pole-sitting Western Fame (Mark MacDonald) seating everyone, including next-door neighbor Dr. J Hanover (Brett Miller). However, Keystone Velocity wasn't happy with that arrangement. Away third from post position No, 3, he moved to the lead right at a :26.4 opening quarter-mile.

He then rated a :29.3 next subsection (:56.2 half), which would serve him well.

Somewhere in L A (Jason Bartlett) was the first to move, taking out of fifth before the intermission. Mach it So (Dave Miller) and Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton) found themselves second- and third-over, respectively.

It was Keystone Velocity maintained the lead in and out of a 1:23.4 three-quarters, his job made easier when Western Fame backed up in the pocket and right into the lap of Dr. J Hanover.

The lead was a length-and-a-quarter entering the lane, and Keystone Velocity wasn't seriously threatened. Somewhere in L A hung in there, Mach it So dove inside and Bit of a Legend N rallied late, though too late. The final margin for Keystone Velocity was a length in a season's-best 1:52.

Bit of a Legend N (now a double-millionaire) did get into second, with Somewhere in L A third. Mach it So and a compromised Dr. J Hanover settled for the remainder, while Evenin' of Pleasure (Joe Bongiorno), Western Fame and Rockin' Ron (Yannick Gingras) rounded out the order.

So, Keystone Velocity, the 'old man' of the octet who needed a win in last week's final preliminary leg just to make the final, joined Foiled Again (2009-10) as back-to-back Levy champions.

For Keystone Velocity, a 10-year-old son of Western Hanover co-owners (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Allard, Kapildeo Singh, Earl Hill Jr. and VIP Internet Stables, it was his second win in six seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $39, the triple returned $224.50 and the superfecta paid $1,161.

The $266,000 winner's share raised Keystone Velocity's career earnings to $1,644,413.

"He's tough horse," Dube said. "I think he's better when he's racing from behind, but he drew well and we were able to get a breather, it was good."

"He doesn't know he's 10," Allard said. "There are just so many people who work with him that deserve the credit. Me? I was more nervous last season, so I'm able to enjoy this one."

After some R&R, Keystone Velocity 'is staked to pretty much everything," Allard said.

Members of the Levy family, including George Morton Levy's son, Robert, and daughter, CeCe, made the winner's circle presentation.

Frank Drucker