Mike Franks maintained his winning ways in the first round of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series for two-year-old male trotters at Bally's Dover, rolling to his fifth consecutive score in the third of three $28,169 splits on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

With Ross Wolfenden at the lines for trainer John Wilkerson, 1-9 favourite Mike Franks forged clear of 9-1 second choice Amish Outlaw (Eddie Dennis) through a :28.1 first quarter before backing down the tempo through middle splits of :59 and 1:28.2. Turning for home, the Southwind Frank-Hearditinaluvsong gelding extended his lead to two lengths and coasted to a 1:57.4 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 $172,095 for owner-breeders Michial and Linda English. He paid $2.10 to win.

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 lifetime-best win over 4-5 favourite Lebanon Levii (Eddie Dennis). Mg Two (Brandon Givens) was third. Besim Odza trains the E L Platinum-Cool Cates gelding, who now has won two of six starts and earned $52,310, for owner/breeder Sonja Booth.

Blazing Tui ($2.40) and driver Corey Callahan drafted in the pocket behind Youcancallmeroy (Roger Plante Jr.) in the second split before angling off the pegs above the eighth pole and coasting to a measured two-length, 1:59.3 win. Royalty Countys (Montrell Teague) completed the top three. Trainer David Wiest co-owns and bred the Yankee Royalty-Tui gelding, now a five-time winner from six starts with $59,740 banked, in partnership with Donald Wiest.

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 $35,211 Open Trot.

Tony Morgan secured the pocket with 2-5 favourite Fruit Snacker behind Somebody Special (Brandon Givens) through a :27.3 first quarter before brushing to the top with more than a lap to go. The four-year-old Dover Dan-First Avenue gelding rated a :29.1 second quarter to the half in :56.4 before 21-1 outsider That Ole Bar Stool (Corey Callahan) confronted him up the backstretch. The two duelled past the 1:25.2 three-quarters and through the far turn before Fruit Snacker asserted off the home bend and won by a measured half-length in 1:53. That Ole Bar Stool finished a game second, and Somebody Special held third, another 4-1/4 lengths in arrears.

Will Reynolds trains Fruit Snacker for Mark Howard. The gelding is now 22-for-44 lifetime. The win price was $2.80.

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. The 15-race program features two $20,000 USD first-round DSBF series events for two-year-old pacing fillies, carded as Races 1 and 2, and a $25,000 USD Fillies and Mares Open Pace, carded as Race 10. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).

(With files from Bally's Dover)