Meadowlands: Helpisontheway, Hey Blondie triumphant in Tompkins Memorial

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 2/5. 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 3/5. 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.

--press release (the Meadowlands)--