Mel Mara led off the 2016-17 meet at Dover Downs recording a 1:49.1 triumph in Monday’s $30,000 Preferred Open Handicap.

Drivers Art Stafford, Jr., Bret Brittingham, trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta made the winner’s circle three times each to highlight the opener of its 48th season.

Corey Callahan and Dylan Davis, the meet’s defending leading driver and trainer, joined forces to win with Mel Mara, who went coast-to-coast en route to notching his seventh win of the season for owners Robert Cooper and J&T Silva stables. Dancin Yankee was second, with Mustang Art finishing third.

The victory lifted the Lis Mara-ML Revrac horse’s seasonal earnings to $233,540 while his lifetime total soared to $691,464.

Meanwhile. In the $18,000 Open Handicap, Soto closed strongly for Art Stafford, Jr. to notch a 1:50.4 score for the Wood, Dittmar and Iaquinta ownership and trainer Eric Ell. The game Remember Me VK (Montrell Teague) cut the mile and finished a strong second. Trading Up (Pat Berry) took third.

(With files from Dover Downs)