by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Henry Schulte’s King Cole stunned the field in Saturday’s (September 9) $10,000 Purina Race Ready Invitational at Northfield, flying late to overtake favored Coal Black Beauty in the 1:53.3 mile.

King Cole, a six-year-old Cole Muffler gelding, paid $69.80 to win. Mike Weller trains the winner and Frank Harris got the call in the sulky as King Cole won for the sixth time in 25 seasonal starts and pushed his career earnings to $109,364.

Caviarandsoftmusic set the early fractions of :27.3 and :56.2 but was challenged at the half by Coal Black Beauty, who won the Scarlet and Gray Stake at Northfield last week. Coal Black Beauty took the lead at the 1:24.3 three-quarter pole, but was unable to hold off the longshot. Laughing Is An Art finished third.