by Lenny Calderone, for Plainridge Park Casino

Plainville, MA — During a season in which he has thoroughly dominated the competition, Greg Merton has won nearly 200 races at Plainridge Park Casino, and has visited the winner’s circle in more than 35 percent of his drives.

However on Monday afternoon (Oct. 31) at Plainridge, it was a drive he didn’t win that was perhaps the most significant. When Merton guided Chief Talkalot to a second place finish for trainer Heidi Rohr in the eighth race of the card, he became the first driver to eclipse the $1 million mark in a single season at the Massachusetts track.

In a way, it seems only fitting that Merton reached that magic mark behind the horse he was driving.

Geri Schwarz photo

Greg Merton became the first driver to eclipse the $1 million mark in a single season at Plainridge.

“Heidi Rohr asked me to drive some horses for her at the end of last year’s meet,” Merton recalled Monday, “and things went well.”

Appearing only during the final couple weeks of the 2015 season, Merton posted numbers that would foreshadow his 2016 success. He won 25 percent of his races, posting a .428 UDR in the process.

When Rohr, and fellow New England transplant Lindsey Blackler, asked Merton to drive for her again at the start of this season, he was more than happy to oblige.

“I thought it was a good opportunity,” said Merton.

Indeed it was. Through the final day of October Merton has won 192 races at the Plainridge meet, which is more than twice as many as his closest competitor. He has more second place finishes than any other driver has wins. His UDR is a sizzling .511.

And it’s not like Merton has done all this at Plainridge against inferior foes. The first full year of the casino operation, combined with an increase in the monies available from the state’s Racehorse Development Fund, has led to enhanced purses and a much improved product on the racetrack. Only a couple of years ago the idea of a driver tallying a million dollars at the track seemed unfathomable. Those facts are not lost on Merton.

“There has definitely been better horses here right from the start of the meet,” said Merton, adding that “the competition has really been ramped up from what it was last fall. You obviously need good horses and you need to put them in the right spot at the right time.”

Merton also noted a similar dynamic while participating in the Massachusetts Sire Stakes which recently concluded its season with $600,000 worth of finals.

“They have a really nice program, with some good racing.”

To some locals, Merton’s accomplishments may have come out of nowhere. However the Monticello, N.Y., native won his 4,000th career race at The Meadowlands earlier this year, and he doesn’t seem surprised at all with his Plainridge performance, exuding a quiet confidence that no doubt plays a role in his success on the racetrack.

“I was the first driver to go over $1 million at Monticello back in 2004 or 2005,” he reminded an observer shortly before first post on Monday. By the end of the day he had repeated the feat at Plainridge.

Still, there is more than a month left in the meet he has dominated, and his numbers figure to grow. It would not be a stretch to say that 2016 is arguably the best year in Merton’s career. So what does the future hold?

“I’m just going to keep on driving,” Merton said. “I’ll definitely be back at Plainridge next year — if you guys will have me,” he added with a chuckle.

Plainridge Park Casino races each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 1 p.m. The 2016 meet continues through Dec. 2.