Helpfirstedition triumphs in $94,500 ISS final

ANDERSON, Ind.—July 20, 2023—Indiana Sires Stakes action continued at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday, July 20 as the evening’s 14-race harness racing card was highlighted by the $94,500 Indiana Sires Stakes final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings. Helpfirstedition (Helpisontheway—She Knows Swagger), with John DeLong in the sulky, pulled the slight upset to score in 1:53 for trainer Missy Essig.

After a narrow miss in the last round of stakes action, Helpfirstedition used a determined stretch rally to find the wire first and score his fifth win of the season.

Leaving from post three, Helpfirstedition left just enough to grab a spot along the rail in third while Kyle Wilfong sent Ponda Jet to the front and Texsong Soprano and Michael Oosting sat the pocket. Ponda Jet led the field through splits of :55 and 1:24.2 while the field remained in single file order. DeLong gave Helpfirstedition his marching orders and he was on the attack first-over turning for home.

Ponda Jet appeared up to the task but Helpfirstedition was determined. Using a :28.1, Helpfirstedition got the win by a length and a half. Texsong Soprano also came charging late and a photo was unable to separate Ponda Jet and Texsong Soprano who finished in a dead heat for second. Sent off at odds of 5-1, Helpfirstedition returned $13.20 to his backers at the betting windows.

Unraced at two, Helpfirstedition pushed his lifetime purse earnings to $127,100 for owners E. Wickey, J. Graber, Running Wild Stables and J. Schmucker. He was bred by Martin Wickey. The victory with Helpfirstedition was one of two winners on the program for the DeLong—Essig combination.

Live racing will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, July 21 with a 14-race card featuring the $96,000 Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Harrah’s Hoosier Park kicked off the 30^th season of live racing on Friday, March 24 and is set to host the richest open stakes schedule ever throughout the 2023 live racing season. Worth over a combined $12 million, the 160-day season will be the most lucrative stakes program in the track’s history culminated by hosting the 40^th edition of the Breeders Crown events in October. Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s premier pacing event, the $300,000 Dan Patch Stakes, is slated for Friday, August 11 and the coveted Breeders Crown events will take place on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28.

For more information on the upcoming live racing schedule or live entertainment at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From Harrah’s Hoosier Park