Lady Almas and owner/trainer/driver Ryan Stahl took the $41,096 John Konesky Trot final on Tuesday, June 4 at Eldorado Scioto Downs in 1:56.2.
Stahl eased the daughter of Triumphant Caviar off the gate from post three and got away seventh as Uncle Petes Dream (Chris Page) took the field to the :28.3 opening quarter. Lady Almas ducked in for a few steps before following Amazing Face (Jeremy Smith) as Westfiftyfive (Josh Sutton) made the lead just as the field went under the line for the first time. The outer flow made steady progress forward by the :57.4 half but by the 1:26.3 third quarter mark, race favourite Amazing Face stalled. Lady Almas moved three-wide around the last turn and posted a :29.1 last quarter to win by a length and three-quarters.
This was Lady Almas’s second lifetime win after taking the first leg of the Konesky on May 14 in 1:57. Stahl owns Lady Almas along with Watson Harness Racing, Kendall Stucky and William Hartt, who purchased the filly from owner/breeder Chris Easterday less than a month ago. She more than doubled her earnings with Tuesday’s win, pushing her lifetime earnings to $33,637 in 14 starts.
The John Konesky III Trot is one of four divisions of races for Ohio-sired non-winners of one named after past Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association presidents and general managers. The final of the Jerry Knappenberger, for colt pacers, was held on May 23 and won by Heerz Popeye in 1:53.1. The final of the Kevin Greenfield, for colt trotters, will be held on Wednesday, June 5 and the Steve McCoy final for filly pacers on Friday, June 7.
The 90-day 2024 Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet runs through Saturday, Sept. 14. Races are held Tuesday-Saturday with a first post of 5:45 p.m. each day, except for Thursday, July 4, with a post of 3:15 p.m., and Friday, Sept. 13, which will have a 6:15 p.m. post, to help accommodate horsepeople attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.
(Scioto Downs)