Hard work is paying off for Dan Noble

Dan Noble is a busy man, and it’s paying off. Noble entered Monday ready to put the finishing touches on his meet at Ohio’s Miami Valley Raceway, where he is the leading driver, and ranks among North America’s top-six drivers in both wins and purses this year.

For the season, Noble has visited the winner’s circle 158 times and posted earnings of $1.69 million. In addition, he helps his wife Christi with a 30-horse stable that ranks among the top 20 in North America in purses, with $407,936, and is fourth in wins at Miami Valley.

All of Noble’s victories this year have come at Miami Valley, where he previously captured a driving title in 2018.

“It feels good,” Noble said. “It’s just a lot of hard work and paying attention to your drives.”

Following Monday’s conclusion to the Miami Valley meet, Noble will turn his attention to Eldorado Scioto Downs, which opens Tuesday. Noble has won the past three driving titles at Scioto Downs and will look to maintain his momentum through the location change.

“I take it in stride because you never know what will happen,” Noble said. “You might have a good meet at Miami Valley and your next meet at the next track, it could just be so-so, or (success) might carry over. You just never know how it’s going to work out.

“I’m just hoping the stable my wife and I have with our 2- and 3-year-olds has a good meet, as well as my catch drives. I hope all the young horses I get to sit behind, and work for other trainers and owners, have good years.”

Noble, who began driving in 1999 and has 6,300 career triumphs, started training in 2013. The Noble Stable has posted million-dollar seasons each of the past three years and focused increasingly on 2- and 3-year-olds.

“The work we’ve done the last eight years has helped us get where we’re at right now with the younger horses,” said Noble, whose late father, Chip, is a member of the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame. “That’s been the goal, to get away from the racehorses and do 2- and 3-year-olds, a lot like dad had. I had a good teacher. Dad taught me a lot.

“We’re not quite there yet, but we’re almost there. I thought I would just be a catch driver after I worked at it for 13 years. But then I kind of figured I’d like to carry the name on, and I always did enjoy the training just as much as driving. It’s paying off. It’s just a lot of hard work and a lot of hours.”

In addition to his career, Noble’s family life keeps him busy too. The Nobles welcomed home a son, Nash, eight months ago.

“I want to be home with my family,” Noble said. “It’s tough when you’re in this business; we don’t have many days or many hours to do that. With my older children, when I was younger, all I worried about was being at the next track, the next drive. Now I’m realizing what I missed out on. I’m hoping I don’t miss out with Nash.”

In 2020, Noble took off from driving the last two months of the year.

“We’ve had such good success that I can work through the summers and take the winters off to be at home,” Noble said.

A busy man, and it’s paying off.