Aaron Merriman, the top 2015 North American dash winner, has continued his winning ways into 2016.
After posting three wins on Friday (January 1), Merriman had a monster night on Saturday (January 2) at Northfield Park by posting eight wins on the 15-race program.
Merriman’s Saturday triumphs were with Lady Ideal ($2.10) in race three, King Richard ($9.20) in race six, Talbotcreek Armani ($3.80) in race eight, Bob N Tony ($3.00) in race nine, Giddy Up Blackfly ($3.00) in race 10, Viewlander ($2.10) in race 11, Love You Bad ($11.20) in race 14 and Blessing Stone (2.40) in race 15.
Merriman garnered 873 victories in 2015, which placed him 41 wins in front of any other driver in North America. He is also the winningest driver in the history of Northfield Park, where he became the youngest inductee to the track’s Wall of Fame in 2013 at age 36.
Merriman has been driving since 1998. He is nearing 8,000 career wins and has over $45 million in purse earnings.
Wrenn, Loney Take 2015 Titles
Ronnie Wrenn Jr. again topped Northfield Park's driving ranks in 2015, winning 653 races over the Flying Turns. His nearest competitor, Aaron Merriman, drove 579 winners. Jason Merriman (338), Ryan Stahl (210) and Kurt Sugg (199) completed the top five reinsmen.
Wrenn, 29, resides in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and now has four driving titles under his belt. He won the dash titles at Northfield Park in 2013 and 2014 and Northville Downs in 2013.
Wrenn’s 2015 total victory tally was 796, which ranked him third among all drivers in North America. Only Aaron Merriman (873) and George Napolitano Jr. (832) had more wins in 2015 than Wrenn Jr.
Wrenn began driving in 2008 and has since won 2,968 races and purses of $13,731,914. Wrenn’s fastest and richest win ever came in last year’s $225,000 Jim Ewart Memorial at Scioto Downs aboard Doo Wop Hanover in 1:49.2.
Northfield Park’s 2015 leading trainer Brian Loney won 54 more races than any other local conditioner. He garnered 153 victories throughout last year. Sam Schillaci finished second with 99 wins. Michael Dowdall (86), Jessica Millner (70) and Andy Rickert (67) rounded out the top five Northfield Park trainers for 2015.
Loney, originally from Hager Hill, Kentucky, has relocated to Northfield, Ohio. He and wife Harla Renae have three children: 15-year-old son Gannun, 11-year-old son Payton and six-year-old daughter Polly.
Loney, 37, has 1,330 career victories and purse earnings of $3,241,750. The 2015 Northfield title is the fourth local dash victory for Brian. He has also won titles at Bluegrass Downs, Fairmount Park, The Red Mile and Thunder Ridge. Loney recalled that his first training win was with the gelding pacer Stealth Fighter at Fairmount Park in 1996.
Wrenn and Loney will each be presented with a plaque and dining gift certificate to the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park in a winner’s circle ceremony later in January.
(With files from Northfield Park)