Dover: Driver Allan Davis scores 4,000th career win

Longtime Delaware horseman Allan Davis reached the winner's circle as a driver for the 4,000th time in his career when he teamed Arette ($25.80) to an 11-1 upset in a $12,500 conditioned pace on Tuesday at Bally's Dover.

Davis angled Jim King Jr. trainee Arette off the pegs with seven-sixteenths to go, overtook the gapping Wheelhouse Hanover and caught the front flight before the far turn, and surged four-wide to collar even-money choice Papi Robazzi in the final 100 yards to score the milestone win in 1:54 4/5.

Since making his first trip behind the gate in 1995, the 50-year-old Davis has driven the winners of over $44.6 million and is in the midst of his 16th consecutive million-dollar season.

Mike Franks strikes winning chord in DSBF prelim

Michial and Linda English's homebred Mike Franks maintained his winning ways in the first round of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series for 2-year-old male trotters, rolling to his fifth consecutive score in the third of three $20,000 splits.

With Ross Wolfenden at the lines for trainer John Wilkerson, 1-20 favorite Mike Franks forged clear of 9-1 second choice Amish Outlaw (driven by Eddie Dennis) through a 28 1/5 first quarter before backing down the tempo through middle splits of 59 seconds and 1:28 2/5. Turning for home, the Southwind Frank-Hearditinaluvsong gelding extended his lead to two lengths and coasted to a 1:57 4/5 victory. Amish Outlaw narrowly protected second from Frosty Frank (Allan Davis), who mounted a belated bid up the open stretch.

Mike Franks, who in October swept the DSBF series at Harrington Raceway, extended his career record to six wins from nine starts and lifted his bankroll to $121,225. He paid $2.10 to win.

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In the first division, Platinum Ice ($4.80) and driver Troy Beyer launched a first-over push out of third up the backstretch and powered to a 3 1/4 length, 1:58 1/5 lifetime-best win over 4-5 favorite Lebanon Levii (Eddie Dennis). Besim Odza trains the E L Platinum-Cool Cates gelding, who now has won two of six starts and earned $36,800, for owner/breeder Sonja Booth.

The second section saw Blazing Tui ($2.40) and driver Corey Callahan draft in the pocket behind Youcancallmeroy (Roger Plante Jr.) before angling off the pegs above the eighth pole and coasting to a measured two length, 1:59 3/5 win. Trainer David Wiest co-owns and bred the Yankee Royalty-Tui gelding, now a five-time winner from six starts, in partnership with Donald Wiest.

Fruit Snacker repeats in Open Trot

Mark Howard's Fruit Snacker shrugged off a stern challenge from That Ole Bar Stool at the top of the stretch and posted his third win in as many starts since returning from a summer layoff in the $25,000 Open Trot.

Tony Morgan secured the pocket with 2-5 favorite Fruit Snacker behind Somebody Special (Brandon Givens) through a 27 3/5 first quarter before brushing to the top with more than a lap to go. The 4-year-old Dover Dan-First Avenue gelding rated a 29 1/5 second quarter before 21-1 outsider That Ole Bar Stool (Corey Callahan) confronted him up the backstretch. The two dueled past the 1:25 2/5 three-quarters and through the far turn before Fruit Snacker asserted off the home turn and won by a measured half-length. That Ole Bar Stool finished a game second; Somebody Special held third, another 4 1/4 lengths in arrears.

Will Reynolds trains 22-time winner Fruit Snacker, who paid $2.80 to win.

Troy Beyer and Brandon Givens led all drivers with three wins apiece on the 15-race card. Chuck Crissman Jr. was the only trainer to win multiple races, recording a double.

Racing returns to Bally's Dover on Wednesday (Nov. 11); the 15-race program features two $20,000 first-round DSBF series events for 2-year-old pacing fillies, carded as races one and two, and a $25,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, carded as race 10. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).

--press release (Bally's Dover)--