By Dean A. Hoffman for the Ohio State Racing Commission

Columbus, OH — Ryan Stahl, 35, of Republic recently achieved a milestone in his career as a harness driver as his horses have passed the $10 million mark in earnings.

Scioto Downs Photo

Ryan Stahl recently passed the $10 million mark in earnings.

Stahl hit the mark in a race at Northfield Park in Cleveland, his base of operations during most of the racing season. He also competes at other harness tracks in Ohio and at county fairs in the Buckeye State during the summer.

Stahl won his first race when he was just 14 in a matinee at Mt. Gilead in 1992. That was a race without a purse or any betting. He saved his first big purse wins for the hometown crowd at Tiffin when he won twice on July 27, 1994 at the Seneca County Fair with the horses Lojo’s Sharp Baby and Good Fish.

Since that start two decades ago, Stahl’s career has blossomed as he has now won more than 3,200 races and for six consecutive years he drove the winners of more than $1 million.

With harness racing on the upswing in Ohio due to dramatically increased purses at all tracks, Stahl’s career promises even greater rewards in the future.