Horsemen, fans and even his doctors are surprised Aaron Merriman is back in a sulky on Friday night at Northfield Park.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Horsemen, race fans and even his doctors are surprised Aaron Merriman will be back in a sulky on Friday night at Northfield Park.
The people who reviewed a tape of his devastating June 11 accident at The Meadows, near Pittsburgh, and know the extent of his injuries, find it impossible to imagine.
Merriman was so seriously injured it was hard to predict whether he could return to harness racing in 2011, or if the crash would bring an end to his promising career.
"The doctors told me I was healing surprisingly fast," said Merriman. "At first, they told me it would take a year to get back. Then six months. It's been five months, and I figure the sooner I get back in a sulky, the better.
"I don't feel normal, but I won't for quite a while," Merriman said. "I'm used to competing every day on the racetrack, and I want to be doing it again. I'm really excited about getting back on the track. The wrists and elbow have healed, though I know my arms will never be the same. It's pretty doubtful I'll ever have the range of motion I once did."
"I don't feel normal, but I won't for quite a while," Northfield Park sulky driver Aaron Merriman said before his return to racing on Friday. "I'm used to competing every day on the racetrack, and I want to be doing it again."With other horses piling over top of Merriman in the life-threatening crash, North America's leading driver broke both wrists and shattered an elbow. One hand was almost completely ripped from his arm. Merriman said laying on the track and looking at his arm, the wrist broken so badly his hand was pinned against his forearm, was the most traumatic memory of that afternoon.
When Merriman, 32, was sidelined, he held a commanding lead in the North American driving standings. The lead was so impressive, he's still ranked in the national top 20 despite not racing for four months.
"After the success I had earlier in the year, I want to go make a run for the title again [in 2011]," he said. "I had a pretty good jump on everyone."
Merriman isn't planning to jump right into a full schedule of racing. He has been lifting weights and working out to ease the transition.
On Friday night at Northfield, Merriman will step out in the seventh race with Holdzmfromfloppin, trained by his father, Lanny Merriman. He'll return with Gifted Attack in the eighth; Longlegacy in the ninth; and French Worker in the 14th.
For Merriman, that's a light night.
"I'm already getting calls to drive horses," he said. "I'm glad I'm still on people's minds."
Pleasant Prince chases Cup: Ohio Derby winner Pleasant Prince is being asked to do what no other thoroughbred has managed over the last four years: Beat Zenyatta, the Queen of North American racing.
The tough mare is looking to repeat in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6, and extend her career unbeaten streak to an amazing 21 races.
Pleasant Prince won the Ohio Derby by a nose on July 31 for Kentucky owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. The 3-year-old convinced everyone he's tough enough to challenge Zenyatta next month by winning last Sunday's $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.
Thistle and Cup: Breeders' Cup Day will close Thistledown's racing season with a bang Nov. 6.
Thistledown will simulcast the Breeders' Cup Day card, and toss in a handicapping tournament and customer appreciation specials for its 2010 closer. A special buffet is planned in the Silks dining room from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To make it a colorful day, green and pink carnations -- the racing colors of Zenyatta's owner, Jerry Moss -- will be given to fans. The gates open at 11 a.m.