Stahl records career win number 3,000

Ryan Stahl scored the 3,000th win of his driving career while driving Manny Shuffle in Northfield Park's fifth race on Friday, Dec. 21 by boldly looming from the back to pass the competition. Manny Shuffle paced his successful mile in 2:03.1, winning by a neck in the blowing snow.

Stahl's richest win came in a $100,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Final and he has won six Sire Stakes Finals. The native of Republic, Ohio rates the most exciting horse he has ever driven as being Hypnotic Blue Chip, in the 2011 Battle of Lake Erie.
"It was an honor to drive a world-class horse like him," Stahl said. His favorite horse he drove with regularity is back-to-back Ohio Triple Crown winner Jesse's Messenger. "I drove her for Kent Sherman. Kent is one of my best friends in the business."

The 34-year-old Stahl remembers his first win as being aboard a trotting filly named Lojo's Sharp Baby, at the Oak Harbor (Ohio) Fairgrounds.
"That win came about a week after I got my license." Stahl recalled. With 3,000 to choose from, Stahl says that his most memorable win came aboard Podges Lady, in the 2012 edition of the Courageous Lady.