As a certain well-regarded mare qualified at Dover Downs in what was likely preparation for early season work, two horses who were very prominent in last year’s Levy series turned in top qualifiers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Wednesday morning (Feb. 19).
Western Fame – the 2019 Levy series winner who later won a Franklin elimination and finished third in the Franklin final at Pocono – went straight to the lead Wednesday morning for driver Simon Allard and trainer/brother Rene Allard and won in 1:57.1. Western Fame, who is a career winner of $1,745,185, utilized a :28.4 final quarter to kick clear at the wire for Go Fast Stable, Stephen Klunowski, B & I Stables LLC, and Gilbert Short.
Later, former Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Champion Ideal Jimmy, a three-time Levy prelim winner last year, put in a sharp 1:53.4 mile on the engine on Wednesday. He employed a :27.3 final quarter which helped him to an eight and a quarter-length win for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Erv Miller, and the Van Witzenburg stable.
The team of driver Eric Carlson and trainer Gilbert Garcia-Herrera combined for the first three qualifying wins of the session. Garcia-Herrera sent out a total of 11 horses in the prep races, a few times with two in the same race. In addition to the three wins Garcia-Herrera recorded, he also notched four second-place finishes and two third-place efforts.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)