El Seventyseven aims for repeat in Honor the Hero Stakes
El Seventyseven has one fast filly to beat, Richies Sweetheart, if he’s to win the Honor the Hero Stakes at Canterbury Park for the second year in a row.
Those two horses, the likely favorites, comprise one-fourth of the entrants in the $75,000 Honor the Hero, carded for five furlongs on turf but subject to a surface switch given the local forecast, which calls for a 50 percent chance of storms Monday, and recent wet weather.
The 2015 Honor the Hero was the second in a two-race span that marked El Seventyseven’s career peak, his stakes win at Canterbury following a sharp allowance score at Fair Grounds. El Seventyseven finished 2015 with three losses and started 2016 with a dull sixth-place finish in March at Fair Grounds, but that was a dirt race and thus is forgivable, and El Seventyseven has trained for this start like he means business.
El Seventyseven has been working at Arlington for trainer Hugh Robertson but runs Monday for trainer Mac Robertson, who also has Majestic Pride entered here. El Seventyseven will try to rally late, but Majestic Pride has speed and is drawn just outside of Richies Sweetheart, who does all her best work on the front end.
In from Chicago for trainer Larry Rivelli, Richies Sweetheart ran into a buzz saw named Fast Flying Rumor when last seen finishing seventh in the Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs in January, but that was far from her best race, and a position on the lead or just off another pace horse while in the clear makes Richies Sweetheart tough to run down.
Mongol Bull, graded-stakes-placed in turf sprints, can improve from his most recent start at Churchill Downs and also rates a chance provided the Honor the Hero stays on turf.