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General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: dinkadoo on April 17, 2024, 08:24:31 AM

Title: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: dinkadoo on April 17, 2024, 08:24:31 AM
                    Starts           Wins      Win %
Merriman       1,047           218        20.8
Br Beckwith     898            198         22.0

Is the driving title Beckwith is shooting for ?  Is it possible for him to maintain enough drives throughout the year to stay close ?  Merriman is pretty much set with Northfield and Meadows racing year round.

Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: theokodjak26 on April 17, 2024, 08:48:09 AM
In my opinion Beckwith will be the next big thing among heavily desired drivers for the Grand Circuit events. The kid is paying his dues now getting a ton of experience. In a few years he will begin replacing a lot of today’s biggest stars.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: MR.DALRAE on April 17, 2024, 10:42:15 AM
Not even  AM league
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Locked in with pace on April 17, 2024, 12:04:17 PM
From what I have heard, Beckwith is a very polished 21 year old. Polite to all and appreciates the opportunity he is getting. Too many of the top drivers today have attitudes. Not him.

Plus you don't see him rocking in the bike, or whipping to the max allowed. It's almost like the pro golfer or the pro baseball player with the perfect swing. He's able to put horses in good spots and has great hands.  . He won't beat out Merriman in yearly wins purely because he can't drive in as many races.  But- you will see his name as one of the top drivers around for many many years to come.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 17, 2024, 12:32:57 PM
guess who was the same way when he was 21???
aaron merriman
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Locked in with pace on April 17, 2024, 01:52:36 PM
Does anyone know Merriman's main account at the Meadows and his main account at Northfield?  All these top guys are good. Horsepower helps even more
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Dingus on April 17, 2024, 03:06:46 PM
Does anyone know Merriman's main account at the Meadows and his main account at Northfield?  All these top guys are good. Horsepower helps even more

Rhoades at northfield
.kahrig lately at meadows.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: remington on April 17, 2024, 03:49:58 PM
Beckwith tried The Meadowlands this winter. Weren't really a factor drives his father's horses. Hard to believe there are running on oats water. 
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 17, 2024, 03:54:04 PM
aaron drives for a number of people at the meadows. the only people he is 100% loyal to is the bercurys. i know they only have a few horses but he will never choose off a bercury horse.
rhoades at northfield
why does ronnie wrenn not drive everyday? i see many days where he is not present. i think if he did what aaron does he would be leading dash winner.
  aaron is very personable. people tend to really like him. its a PR game. you have to have some talent obviously. 
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: LUCPARK on April 17, 2024, 04:29:54 PM
beckwith might have potential to be best ever in a bike....
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: seriously on April 17, 2024, 04:31:41 PM
Wrenn is night and day and afternoon and evening and dusk ahead of Merriman.  Winning is one thing, being excellent at a craft is another.  Aaron is no Ronnie. 
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: ryansdad on April 17, 2024, 04:37:40 PM
Brett has much better set of hands then A.M.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 17, 2024, 04:45:20 PM
Brett has much better set of hands then A.M.

At least beckwith can give the owner/trainer a horse to drive next week.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 17, 2024, 04:58:08 PM
with the exception of brett miller( especiailly back when he was fucking crazy) no one better than ronnie. i think brett is the best driver in ohio. maybe he has gotten a lil older and he has a lil more fear now a days but man back in the day he had no fear he could drive the fur off one. when he got on one he hasnt been driving from someone else it was a 3 to 4 second driver change.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 17, 2024, 04:59:34 PM
if aaron lost the rhoades account he would end up like grismore. he would still get drives for a while but there wont be 7 win nights. drivers need power.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: hoosierboy on April 17, 2024, 05:54:31 PM
if aaron lost the rhoades account he would end up like grismore. he would still get drives for a while but there wont be 7 win nights. drivers need power.

Grismore sucks plain and simple.  When you can’t win with Burke horses and lose the account that says something. 
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 17, 2024, 06:46:46 PM
Grismore sucks plain and simple.  When you can’t win with Burke horses and lose the account that says something.

Agreed——already proven at Yonkers years ago!!
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Stan durbread on April 17, 2024, 08:48:10 PM
Aaron did just fine before Rhoades. He will be fine with out him
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: MR.DALRAE on April 17, 2024, 09:50:08 PM
Wrenn is night and day and afternoon and evening and dusk ahead of Merriman.  Winning is one thing, being excellent at a craft is another.  Aaron is no Ronnie.

Guys drives the Brigades gassed up rockets
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 17, 2024, 11:27:39 PM
Aaron did just fine before Rhoades. He will be fine with out him

Can't wait to find out who is right or wrong on this.  I think Merriman's numbers will be worse.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 17, 2024, 11:29:53 PM
with the exception of brett miller( especiailly back when he was fucking crazy) no one better than ronnie. i think brett is the best driver in ohio. maybe he has gotten a lil older and he has a lil more fear now a days but man back in the day he had no fear he could drive the fur off one. when he got on one he hasnt been driving from someone else it was a 3 to 4 second driver change.

Correct.  Many years ago, Brett Miller hung around with the fun crowd down at Pompano and had a good time at thd expense of better numbers on his stats sheet. 
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Mr.Turnpike on April 18, 2024, 05:31:21 AM
  Even I could win with Beckwith mounts
  If he didn’t win with one of his 1to9 shots something would be wrong but most of his mounts he has trouble pulling up after race
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 18, 2024, 09:58:25 AM
merriman would yea still be ok. but would he win dash titles? doubtful. he would definitley take a hit in wins and money.
brett was fun to hang out with. when you drive with no fear drivers seem to do better. with that said he had POWER. john lee power. then virgil. he had a lot of horse power but he still drove fearless. maybe because it was snowing all year round in ohio  i dont know. i cant confirm nor deny.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: remington on April 18, 2024, 03:26:44 PM
Turnpike I agree with you. People that can't see that never been around horses.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 18, 2024, 04:05:43 PM
  Even I could win with Beckwith mounts
  If he didn’t win with one of his 1to9 shots something would be wrong but most of his mounts he has trouble pulling up after race

Doesn’t Merriman get those 1/5, 1/9 too?  FYI, the betting public determines the odds, not the driver. How many of these short price favorites actually miss the board too??
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Stan durbread on April 18, 2024, 07:38:52 PM
merriman would yea still be ok. but would he win dash titles? doubtful. he would definitley take a hit in wins and money.
brett was fun to hang out with. when you drive with no fear drivers seem to do better. with that said he had POWER. john lee power. then virgil. he had a lot of horse power but he still drove fearless. maybe because it was snowing all year round in ohio  i dont know. i cant confirm nor deny.

Did he not win dash titles before this Rhodes guy?  How many of his wins every year are on his horses?  If he was winning 700 races a year as a trainer I would think he would be a household name. Not just a Northfield guy
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Mr.Turnpike on April 18, 2024, 08:11:04 PM
Turnpike I agree with you. People that can't see that never been around horses.
   These horses compete lay overs
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 18, 2024, 09:18:20 PM
Look aaron would do good without Rhoades yes. He would. He could proba ly puck up the schilacci account. There is some history there. Rhoades won 202 races at northfield in 2023. Let's say Aaron drove 175 of them.  So if he liases a 175 wins. Where does that put him? He may still win dash titles with out Billy.  Just won't be as easy.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: wisha roder on April 22, 2024, 10:43:04 PM
aaron drives for a number of people at the meadows. the only people he is 100% loyal to is the bercurys. i know they only have a few horses but he will never choose off a bercury horse.
rhoades at northfield
why does ronnie wrenn not drive everyday? i see many days where he is not present. i think if he did what aaron does he would be leading dash winner.
  aaron is very personable. people tend to really like him. its a PR game. you have to have some talent obviously.
because Ronnie spends time with his wife and kids.  There’s more to life than racing.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 22, 2024, 11:41:58 PM
Beckwith tried The Meadowlands this winter. Weren't really a factor drives his father's horses. Hard to believe there are running on oats water.

Who would be better between Merriman and Beckwith if they both had a fair shake there at the Meadowlands or any other major track? 

I'll vote Beckwith.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: remington on April 23, 2024, 08:17:02 AM
Beckwith raced at Meadowlands last Saturday didn't do very well. If he didn't drive his father's and other trainers gassed up horses at Saratoga and Plainridge he wouldn't win shit.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 23, 2024, 11:56:54 AM
because Ronnie spends time with his wife and kids.  There’s more to life than racing.

i can respect that. he seems like wholesome solid guy. good for him.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: SwankToliverA on April 23, 2024, 04:09:36 PM
Ronnie stopped driving on Tues and Wed nights at Northfield, because the purses are too low on those nights.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Mr.Turnpike on April 23, 2024, 04:24:40 PM
Who would be better between Merriman and Beckwith if they both had a fair shake there at the Meadowlands or any other major track? 

I'll vote Beckwith.
.    👍
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: PIGLAND on April 23, 2024, 07:51:31 PM
atleast betwith has a chance to be a driver
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Pony4141 on April 24, 2024, 10:17:34 AM
I'll take Aaron at Northfield any day. Definitely a different story at bigger tracks though - even Scioto he isn't as aggressive and doesn't have the favorite every race. Good driver but not elite - really good drivers like Palone and Brett Miller have tried the Meadowlands a few times and couldn't stick. Only the cream of the crop.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 24, 2024, 11:49:00 AM
cream of the crop? look who ever drives the pwer there will do good. these who you call the cream of the crop drive for people who buy the highest priced horses. they buy the best bred. they race for the most money. of course they will do good depending on the accounts they have. how do you think yannick would do if not for arm and hammer ronnie? if you drive for the dopers who also buy cream of the crop stock you will do well.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Stan durbread on April 24, 2024, 12:19:29 PM
Driving for the best stables helps. But you got to earn those drives. They don’t just put up any monkey standing around in a set of colors
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 24, 2024, 04:58:18 PM
pretty sure any monkey can do well with burkes.takters,engbloms. dont get parked and pull the right line. sure some get more out of horses than others but others would do just as well as the people driving for these trainers.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Stan durbread on April 24, 2024, 06:41:41 PM
Burke has tried bringing some top level drivers from the Ohio tracks to the big scene. Wrenn and Grismore come to mind. Didn’t do so well and went back to Yannick for the big money
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: White Rabbit on April 24, 2024, 07:06:16 PM
You got give Bert the nod, AM has had a few shots at some big stakes and didn’t fair well. I think Bert will get he’s shot this summer and let’s see how he fairs. I told my trainer and partner s if Bert comes to Meadows this summer give him a shot on ours
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Ramnap on April 24, 2024, 07:31:00 PM
Aaron will go down as the top winning driver in the history of harness racing. Feel fortunate to have witnessed history in the making.Our sport will soon be gone forever so cherish what we have left.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: White Rabbit on April 24, 2024, 09:31:22 PM
Mathematically he has a shot, but I don’t see it happening unless the Red Dragon retires in the next 2 yrs. Last time I talked with him in the paddock he said he would drive til 65
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Grandstand Handicapper on April 25, 2024, 11:25:14 AM
Like one or the other or like 'em both, it's going to take a lot more than good driving to be a regular and be competitive on the grand circuit. There's a lot of good drivers out there, and a lot of them are good horsemen too. Picking up drives when they come to your home track or two doesn't make you a GC driver.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: dinkadoo on April 25, 2024, 11:55:07 AM
Updated stats


                       Starts           Wins        UDRS
Merriman          1124             230          .354
Beckwith            967             208           .348
Wrenn Jr            645             178           .416

Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 25, 2024, 12:29:16 PM
A-A-RON IS THE SAME AS BURKE
THE MORE STARTS YOU HAVE THE MORE YOU WIN.
LIKE ARM AND HAMMER RONS MONOPOLY

Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: Grandstand Handicapper on April 25, 2024, 01:25:25 PM
Strong #'s there.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: PIGLAND on April 25, 2024, 09:13:52 PM
aaron will never bea driver,
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 25, 2024, 09:27:55 PM
If A-A ron we t east. He would be top 5.
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: rainman2 on April 25, 2024, 09:45:31 PM
If A-A ron we t east. He would be top 5.

Buffalo?
Batavia?
Vernon?
Tioga?
Saratoga?
Monticello?
Plainridge??
Cumberland Maine?
Rosecroft?
Title: Re: Merriman vs Beckwith
Post by: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK on April 26, 2024, 10:55:10 AM
yonkers
meadowlands
he would just start boning all the female trainers and then he would get drives. he may be driving takters/jenny bon stock before you know it. public releations my friend.
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