By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –
Helpisontheway looked like a seat-filler in the Saturday night feature at the
Meadowlands, the $61,900 Arthur Tompkins Memorial for 3-year-old colts and
geldings on the trot.
The Linda Toscano trainee was sent to
the gate at odds of 9-1 and was one of only two horses in the field of eight
who are not eligible to the Hambletonian. He may not have looked like much on
paper, but he sure did on the track.
Tim Tetrick used a little of the
colt’s speed to grab the three hole early, before brushing to the top just
before the half. Racing on the rim, here came 8-5 second choice Zephyr Kronos,
inching closer as the pair passed three-quarters. In mid-stretch, it appeared
Zephyr Kronos would go by easily, as driver Jimmy Takter wasn’t getting after his
Hambo hopeful, who is a son of Ready Cash-Orange Kronos.
In deep stretch, Tetrick
energetically asked Helpisontheway for more, and he responded as Takter took
that cue and got after his colt, but at the conclusion of the three-sixteenths
of a mile duel, it was Helpisontheway prevailing by a hard-fought neck in
1:53.2. Met’s Hall finished third. Evaluate, the 3-2 favorite, went off stride
at the start.
Helpisontheway, a son of Chapter
Seven-Porque who won twice earlier this year on the New York Sire Stakes
circuit, now has three wins in seven starts this season and earnings of just
over $94,000. He paid $20.60 to win.
In the Arthur Tompkins for sophomore
trotting females, Hey Blondie lived up to her 4-5 promise, racing parked for
the final half-mile yet still scoring easily by a length over Bill’s Lady in
1:54.3. Hey Blondie, a daughter of Cantab Hall-Winbak Blondie who is
Hambletonian Oaks eligible, was driven by Andy McCarthy and trained by Chuck
Sylvester. She returned $3.60 to her backers.
A LITTLE MORE: The Early 20-Cent Jackpot Super
High-Five resulted in a single-ticket winner. That Oregon Express player, who
held the ticket with the 5-1-3-6-9 combination in race nine, walked away with
$20,039. … It was a double jackpot night, as the Late JSH5 was also hit, by a
player in Ontario. That bettor with the ticket reading 9-6-5-3-1 in race 12 was
paid $13,401. ... The 20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 also had only one winner. That
lucky Twin Spires player survived eight legs of the wager and cashed in for
$11,109. … The 50-Cent Pick-4 pool went past the $90,000 mark for a sixth
straight time, as $90,308 was poured into the pot. … All-source wagering
totaled $1,942,079. … Racing resumes at the Big M Friday at 7:15 p.m.
