by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Perfect Door, trained by Jim Otto and owned by his wife Shirley, won his second straight Invitational Pace at Northfield Park on Saturday (Jan. 27), using a pocket-sitting effort to score in 1:55.1.

After wiring last week’s field in a speedy 1:52.4, driver Elliott Deaton gave the 5-year-old Threefold gelding an easier trip, sitting in the pocket behind pacesetter King Cole and then going by in the stretch to outdistance the early leader and show horse Equalize.

Ryan Stahl, motivated by his joint grandstand appearance with the Cavalier Girls, won six races on the card, while leading driver Aaron Merriman, who competed against Cleveland Cavalier rookie Shannon Brown in a pop-a-shot contest that earned a patron $100, had a three-bagger.