Nfld - News and Notes

MERRIMAN’S BIG NIGHT:  Aaron Merriman drove five winners on Saturday (August 18).  Merriman piloted Noble Trick ($5.40) to a 1:54.2 victory in the $16,500 second division of the Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year old colt and gelding pacers.  Merriman’s other winners included Beau Jet ($3.80), Tylers Rendevous ($7.00), Left’em Standing ($3.20) and Play Right ($14.20).

Thirty-four-year-old Merrman started driving in 1997 and has since garnered 5,322 career victories and $25,293,034 in purse earnings.

BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE CHAMPION SCORES BIG AGAIN:  Classic Rock Nroll, the 2012 Battle of Lake Erie Champion, scored another big win in the $122,500 Gerrity Memorial on Saturday, August 18 at Saratoga Raceway in New York.  Dan Noble, who piloted Classic Rock Nroll to his Battle win, went to Saratoga to drive him again.  Noble steered the horse to a perfect trip and won the race in 1:51.4. 

Classic Rock Nroll (Rocknroll Hanover-Classic Wish-Armbro Emerson) now has career earnings of $566,300 and a lifetime mark of 1:50.3, taken over Northfield Park’s Flying Turns in his Battle of Lake Erie victory.

JIMMY SMITH SCORES RECENT MILESTONE:  Driver Jimmy Smith recently drove his 1,000^th driving victory at the Richland County Fair in Mansfield, Ohio on Monday, August 6, 2012 aboard two-year-old colt trotter Sundaysacoming.

Smith, a forty-three year-old Massillon, Ohio resident, has been driving since 1986 and now has 1,005 career victories and purse earnings in excess of $4 million.  

EVERYDAY IS A MATCH PLAY DAY:  Northfield Park’s newest promotion is sure to have a lot of fans smiling.  Each and every day, starting Wednesday, August 22, patrons receive a free $5.00 match play wager.  The promotional times to receive your free $5.00 are Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 till 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon till 2:00 p.m.  The match play promotion runs through Sunday, September 2.

RUA LOOKER GETS CAREER WIN 50:  RUA Looker trotted home for his 50^th career victory on Monday (August 20) at Northfield Park.  The ten-year old has 225 career starts, winning 50 times, and finishing second and third 25 and 24 times respectively.  RUA Looker (Ilooklikemymom-Carry Marge-Carry The Message) has career earnings of $188,322 and a lifetime mark of 1:56.1 taken at Balmoral Park at age five.  The trotter’s richest win was the $30,900 Ohio State Fair Race for three-year old colt and gelding trotters at Scioto Downs in 2005.     

Kurt Sugg, of Polk, Ohio, trains, drives and co-owns RUA Looker with Paul Troyer, of Millersburg, Ohio.