by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — You would think that the combination of a $29.95 prime rib buffet for two, free clubhouse admission and free Northfield racing programs would be enough to lure folks to Northfield’s clubhouse restaurant on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14.

Well it wasn’t enough for Northfield’s Promotions Director, Bill Seese. He arranged for three sponsors to provide prizes for a series of ten drawings that night. Each winner receives a $50 gift card from Ambience, The Store for Lovers; a $50 shopping card at Don Basch Jewelers and a $25 certificate to Garden of Eble Florists.

The buffet features a chocolate fountain with strawberries, pretzels and more, seafood, pasta, a huge salad bar and a wide array of desserts (the chocolate drizzled, cream-filled cannolis are awesome) in addition to the hand-carved roast beast.

Make your reservations by calling (330) 467-4101. The clubhouse opens at 6:00 p.m. and Northfield’s live, 14 race card kicks off at 7:00 p.m.

Leaderboard: Defending champ Aaron Merriman continues to lead the local driver standings with 65 wins, while Mike Weller holds a slim lead over 2007 training champ Jodi Schillaci, 15-14, in the conditioner’s race.

Merriman is currently ninth among North American drivers, while Elliott Deaton is 15th with 47 wins, just one spot ahead of Ryan Stahl, who took both of Northfield’s feature races over the weekend. He won the $7,500 Mares Open Pace on Friday with Polo Jenn, and then took the $10,500 Invitational Pace on Saturday with Weller-trainee King Cole.

Merriman’s .367 Universal Driver Rating System “batting average” is third among the nation’s most active drivers. Two Northfield horses, Big Head Hundreds and Bubontherun, are among 18 pacers and trotters with four wins each. That’s the best on the continent.

An Equine Valentine: With Valentine’s Day approaching, we look in on Northfield’s 2002 Horse of the Year Cam’s Valentine, who is enjoying motherhood after retiring from racing.

Her first foal, 2-year-old filly Cam’s Monet, is in training with Marty Wollam, and according to mom’s co-owner Chris Arold, she is already bigger and stronger than her dam.

Yearling filly Cam’s Van Go is doing well, turned out at Wollam’s farm and scheduled to begin training later this year.

Both are by Pennsylvania sire Real Artist.

And Cammie, as she was known, is currently in foal to Ontario sire Modern Art.

Arold shares ownership of Cam’s Valentine, as he did when she starred at Northfield, with Michael Drury and Ken and Joe Kohut.

Battle Already: With Northfield’s $125,000 Battle of Lake Erie moving to spring, (Saturday, April 21), it’s not too early to start looking at possible contenders.

Nuclear Breeze is two of three on the year with a 1:49.2 win at The Meadowlands. A career winner of 25 races, he is owned by Thomas Cooke.

Martin Scharf, who campaigned Gallo Blue Chip, the richest pacer ever and 2001 Battle Champ, has a solid contender in New Zealand-bred Fake Denario N, who has beaten the best at both the Meadowlands and Dover Downs this year.