by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Greg Merton is no stranger to winning. Thus far the 38-year-old Monticello native has reined 3,350 winners. Nor is he unfamiliar with driving titles. Merton has won two at Monticello Raceway; the first during the 2000 racing season and then again in 2005.

Paragon was a 1:58.1 winner for Greg Merton on Tuesday.

Now as the weather is warming up so is Merton. He had a hat trick on the Tuesday (May 1) program at the Mighty M when he scored with My Edward ($12.00) in 1:58, Paragon ($10.60) in 1:58.1 and Cockney Hanover ($4.70) in 1:58.1. Those winners came on the heels of three others that Merton scored on the previous day here.

Now with 62 wins at the meeting, Merton is moving up rapidly on the local leaderboard and is currently in fourth place, 34 from leader Jimmy Taggart, Jr.’s total.

However, Merton’s winners have come in just 278 trips to post — less than half as many as the leaders — and when his second and third place finishers are factored in he currently sports a meet-leading .368 UDR.

“I’ve been lucky enough to get some live catch-drives,” Merton said in response to why wins are coming more often now. “When you drive good horses they make you look good, it’s just that simple.”

Geri Schwarz photos

Greg Merton has six wins this week at Monticello Raceway.

The lanky reinsman first sat behind a racing Standardbred in 1989 when he won three of seven amateur races at the Mighty M. After a little more than a handful of drives Merton’s career didn’t really get underway until 1995 when the home-grown product won 36 races that season. And it wasn’t until 1999 that he topped the century plateau in seasonal races won. That year he reined 170 winners and the following year he vaulted to the top of the leaderboard in races won at the Mighty M when he finished the season with 274 winners.

After that year, only a few campaigns produced less than 200 winners for Merton, who turned 38 years of age back on Dec. 14.

During 2005 he notched his second driving championship at Monticello Raceway. He piloted 357 winners that season of which his 288 here topped the local leaderboard.

Over the years Merton has won six races on a card three times which is always a special feat.

Although he has reined many winners in his career Merton is quick to point out his success with the Linda Toscano-trained Union Man Hanover in New York Sire Stakes late closer action last season.

Among the wins Merton had with Union Man Hanover include a 1:56.4 win at Batavia Downs and a 1:57.2 victory in the $30,000 NYSS late closer final at Monticello Raceway.

“With all the great drivers out there and that Linda (Toscano) gave me a chance to drive him ranks right up there with great moments for me,” Merton said.

Beginning in 2004 Merton’s seasonal purse earnings have topped $1 million — except for 2010 when he registered purses of $887,122. Thus far his best seasonal output came in 2005 when his mounts earned $1.63 million in purse money. In his career, racing mostly at the Mighty M, Merton has won more than $13.7 million in purse money.