Tony Morgan became the second driver in North American harness racing history to reach 18,000 career wins when he steered Inter Mischief to victory at Bally’s Dover on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

After starting fourth, Morgan sent Inter Mischief ($3.80) to the lead nearing the half, and the Jamie Sullivan-trained stallion expanded his advantage to three-quarters before holding off Canoe Trip (Tim Tetrick) by a half-length for a 1:54.4 win. Happy That (Roger Plante Jr.) was third.

"I really like this horse and felt confident in the stretch," Morgan said after the race.

Morgan, who began racing in the 1970s, is second all-time in career wins behind Dave Palone. He grew up in the industry, learning from his father, Eddie Morgan Jr., who won more than 5,000 races as a driver — and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. The 67-year-old Ohio native has more than $152 million in earnings from more than 102,000 starts. The reinsman moved to Delaware from Chicago in 2006 and racked up 1,004 wins, which remains the fifth-highest total for a season by a driver. That year was one of five that he led North America in wins. He was inducted into the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2022.

In Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) action on the card, Thiskissformaryell made it back-to-back sweeps of series for two-year-old male trotters with a career-best-equalling 1:58.4 win in the $154,930 DSBF championship.

Thiskissformaryell and driver Jim Morand yielded control to Sweepea (Corey Callahan), who left hard from post eight, at the end of a :28 first quarter before vacating the pocket and reclaiming the top spot shortly thereafter. The Iron Mine Bucky-Twin B Kisses gelding coasted through middle splits of :59 and 1:29 before parrying a mild challenge from Sweepea off the home turn and edging clear to defeat him by 2-3/4 lengths. Money Manager (Ross Wolfenden) closed off the final turn to finish third, another half-length behind.

Les Givens trains Thiskissformaryell, a seven-time winner with $230,535 in earnings from 12 starts, for Nanticoke Racing and breeders James Magno and Joseph Fonte. The gelding is undefeated in DSBF competition, having swept the series at Harrington in October prior to the Dover series. He paid $4 to win as the even-money favourite.

In the $28,169 DSBF consolation for rookie male trotters, Shirley Shand's homebred Cosmic Flash and driver Corey Callahan brushed from third with a circuit to go and evaded runner-up Prime Yield (Art Stafford Jr.) by 1-3/4 lengths to win in 2:03. Wolfpack Bourbon (Jason Green) was third. Ross Shand trains the winning Anders Bluestone-Victory Starburst colt, who scored his first victory from five starts.

In the overnight feature, the $35,211 Open Handicap Trot, Last Glow completed his ascent up the class ladder with a fourth consecutive win. 

He left alertly with Dyladmar, who took a brief lead and marched through the opening quarter in :26.4 over a good surface. Jack Parker Jr. then pulled Last Glow out of the pocket to take the lead and rated him to the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:25.1. At the top of the stretch, Navy Blue (Art Stafford Jr.), seeking his third straight Open win, circled three-wide and closed fast. But Last Glow foiled that rival under high lines from Parker to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:54.2. Victor Laszlo (Eric Davis) grabbed the show spot.

Last Glow, a six-year-old son of Trixton-Glow, is owned by Charles Groce II and trained by Carol Jamieson-Parker. He is four-for-four since returning from a layoff of more than four months earlier in November, rising in class with each start since Nov. 4. He is now 22-for-87 lifetime with $315,874 in earnings. The win price was $3.60.

Two horses won their fifth straight races on the card: Fifty Rivers and Gaelihill.

Fifty Rivers ($2.80) cut the mile in the 10th race and was 2-1/4 lengths the best in a new mark of 1:54.2 for trainer Dylan Davis and driver Callahan. The three-year-old son of Fiftydallarbill-Hudson Jesse, who made his debut earlier this season, has won five straight conditioned races. He is owned by Michael Casalino Jr. and Dylan Davis Racing.

Gaelihill ($4), driven by Tetrick, powered from third to the lead on the final trip down the backstretch and soared away to win by three lengths in 1:56.3 in the 11th race. The six-year-old Muscle Hill-Gaelic gelding, who was previously racing in Pennsylvania, made his debut for trainer Don Brittingham and owner Elizabeth Brittingham after being claimed for the third straight week last out. He ended that streak on Tuesday, remaining with the Brittinghams after his win.

The next card at Dover on Wednesday features the $274,720 USD Progress Pace for three-year-old pacers, which closes out the Grand Circuit season. The quartet of DSBF championship events for two-year-olds will also conclude on the card with the $110,000 USD Ramona Hubbard for pacing fillies. The entire card will be broadcast by FanDuel Racing. First post is 4:30 p.m.

(Standardbred Canada & Dover Downs & DSBF)