Now as the weather is warming up so is Merton. He had a hat
trick on the Tuesday, May 1st program at the Mighty M when he
scored with My Edward ($12.00) in 1:58; Paragon ($10.60) in 1:58.1 and
finally behind Cockney Hanover ($4.70) in 1:58.1. Those winners came on the
heels of three others that Merton scored on the previous day here..
Now with 62 wins at the meeting Merton is moving up rapidly
on the local leaderboard and is currently in fourth place 34 from leader Jimmy
Taggart, Jr.’s total.
However, Merton’s winners have come in
just 278 trips to post —less than half as many as the leaders--- and when
his second and third place finishers are factored in he currently sports
a meet -leading .368UDR.
“I’ve been lucky enough to get some live catch-drives ,”
Merton said in response to why wins are coming more often
now. “When you drive good horses they make you look good, it’s just that
simple.”
The lanky reinsman first sat behind a racing Standardbred in
1989 when he won three of seven amateur races at the Mighty M. After a little
more than a handful of drives Merton’s career didn’t really get underway until
1995 when the home-grown product won 36 races that season. And it
wasn’t until 1999 that he topped the century plateau in seasonal races
won. That year he reined 170 winners and the following year he vaulted to the
top of the leaderboard in races won at the Mighty M when he finished the season
with 274 winners.
After that year, only a few campaigns
produced less than 200 winners for Merton, who turned 38 years of age back on
December 14. During 2005 he notched his second driving championship at
Monticello Raceway. He piloted 357 winners that season of which his 288 here
topped the local leaderboard.
Over the years Merton has won six races on a card three
times which is always a special feat . Although he has reined many winners in
his career Merton is quick to point out his success with the Linda
Toscano-trained Union Man Hanover in NY Sire Stakes late closer action last
season.
Among the wins Merton had with Union Man Hanover include a
1:56.4 win at Batavia Downs and a 1:57.2 victory in the $30,000 NYSS late
closer final at Monticello Raceway.
“With all the great drivers out there and that Linda
(Toscano) gave me a chance to drive him ranks right up there with great moments
for me,” Merton said.
Beginning in 2004 Merton’s seasonal purse earnings
have topped $1 million-except for 2010 when he registered purses of
$887,122. Thus far his best seasonal output came in
2005 when his mounts earned $1.63 million in purse money. In
his career, racing mostly at the Mighty M still Merton has won over $13.7
million in purse money.
