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.
