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General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: arniesarmy on May 18, 2026, 01:31:27 AM

Title: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: arniesarmy on May 18, 2026, 01:31:27 AM
With Merriman out, I figured Noble would dominate. He was winning 5-6-7-8-9 and even 10 or 11 races a night with Merriman there. Up until May 7 when that huge wreck at Scioto knocked Merriman out of racing for many unknown months, Noble had won 206 of 730 races at Northfield this season (28%) with Merriman second at 24% 186 wins in 774 starts. Merriman has nine straight driving titles at Northfield.
In four cards and 50 races that Noble has driven in at Northfield since Merriman's accident, he has won eight (16%). He has finished second nine times and third eight times so 25 times in the money (50%). Right now, Irvine and Lems have been the Noble-Merriman at Northfield since May 7.
Through tonight (Sunday's) card, Noble has 218 wins at NF in 2026, Merriman 186, Irvine 116 and Lems 95. Noble looks like a lock to snap Merriman's nine-year run, but for whatever reason, his winning percentage the past four cards has been almost half of what it was before his main challenger was injured.
Title: Re: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: Bitter Truth on May 18, 2026, 10:16:30 AM
For whatever reason, he's often not even there. Can't win if you're not there.
Title: Re: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: ScrapeThePaint on May 18, 2026, 02:11:07 PM
Give it time, Noble will dominate. With the exception of Wrenn (who rarely drives there), Noble is a Man among boys and is way better than other drivers at NFLD.
Title: Re: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: hoosierboy on May 18, 2026, 06:22:42 PM
Give it time, Noble will dominate. With the exception of Wrenn (who rarely drives there), Noble is a Man among boys and is way better than other drivers at NFLD.

Well said
Title: Re: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: Checked Up on May 18, 2026, 07:37:24 PM
Wrenn had a pretty productive day racing with the "Big Boys " in  the Festival of Racing  the other day! He pocketed about 300k for the various trainers that used him.(No they weren't just Burke monsters) RWJ is now far superior to Red the drunken head IMO!
Title: Re: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: ScrapeThePaint on May 18, 2026, 08:02:17 PM
Wrenn had a pretty productive day racing with the "Big Boys " in  the Festival of Racing  the other day! He pocketed about 300k for the various trainers that used him.(No they weren't just Burke monsters) RWJ is now far superior to Red the drunken head IMO!

I agree, talent wise Ronnie is definitely better than Merriman.
Title: Re: Noble not taking over Northfield as I thought
Post by: coryd03 on May 18, 2026, 09:43:15 PM
Only there on sat and sun
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