Fruit Snacker lived up to his odds-on billing in the $34,722 Open Handicap Trot at Bally's Dover on Tuesday, Nov. 3, coasting to a commanding 1:53.2 win.

The four-year-old Dover Dan-First Avenue gelding made a measured move to the top through the first turn, pushing clear of Somebody Special (Brandon Givens) and Dyladmar (Russell Foster) just past a :27.1 first quarter. Fruit Snacker then rated middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:24.4 before working to evade a mild challenge from the first-over Arrowhead Hanover (Troy Beyer) through the final turn.

Off the corner for home, Fruit Snacker held off an inside bid from a driven Somebody Special by a half-length while measured under a stout Tony Morgan rein. Arrowhead Hanover stayed on for third, another half-length in arrears.

Willard Reynolds trains Fruit Snacker, who scored his 10th victory of the year from 16 starts and the 21st of his career in 43 outings, raising his lifetime bankroll to $309,565. The gelding is two-for-two since returning from layoff on Oct. 22 for owner Mark Howard. He paid $2.40 to win. 

Driver Allan Davis, regularly one of Delaware's top reinsmen, recorded his 4,000th career victory with a winning steer behind Swan Flyer ($3.20) in the 11th race. Davis circled the seven-year-old Swan For All-Free Wheeling gelding to the top in front of the stands, and Swan Flyer went on to score by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:55. The winner, trained by Davis' son, Tyler, for J & T Davis LLC, took his first win of the year in 13 starts.

Davis reached the milestone in his 32nd season of driving, bringing his career totals to 4,000 wins from 32,928 starts. He has also amassed $47.4 million in driving earnings and won multiple titles at Harrington Raceway. The resident of Smyrna, Dela. had his career high in wins in 2015, with 350.

Some Waratah A ($5.60) also reached a major career win total as the 12-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Lady Waratah gelding notched his 50th victory in the fourth race. He went all the way for driver Tony Morgan, trainer Tim Crissman and owner Crissman Inc., winning by a half-length in 1:53.2. The Aussie-bred is now 50-for-127 lifetime with earnings of $344,510. He made his North American debut in 2021 with immediate impact, winning top-level paces at Yonkers and Saratoga Raceways. The venerable gelding has maintained consistent form, with 10 wins from 22 outings this season.

In the sub-featured $25,000 Winners Over Trot, Every Day Dan and driver Mike Cole made every pole a winning one. After putting up panels of :27.1, :57 and 1:26, Every Day Dan outlasted a late rally from That Ole Bar Stool (Art Stafford Jr.) by thee-quarters of length for a 1:54.3 score. Sensational (Corey Callahan) was third. Joe Columbo trains the six-year-old Dover Dan-Emerald Bling gelding, who is six-for-28 this season for George & Tina Dennis Racing. With the win, Every Day Dan upped his career tallies to 22 victories and $413,711 in earnings from 111 starts. He paid $5.20 to win as the 8-5 public choice.

Morgan also won with George Polk Jr. trainee No More Sweets ($86, 1:55.1) for a hat trick on the 13-race program.

Live racing returns to Bally's Dover on Wednesday with a 15-race program beginning at 4:30 p.m. (EST). On the wagering front, the 50-cent pentafecta, offered in the finale, has a carryover of $2,409.31.

(Bally's Dover & Standardbred Canada)