Lookinforthesecret at right distance

Lookinforthesecret will be favored when he takes on 10 rivals in the $45,000 Honor the Hero Turf Express at Canterbury Park, but he has already fulfilled the dreams of owner Balo Sukharan.

Sukharan was in search of his first Thoroughbred when he contacted trainer Jamie Ness at Tampa Bay Downs this past winter. The pair agreed to claim Lookinforthesecret from a $12,500 claiming contest in January and watched the 5-year-old horse win 4 races from his next 6 starts, including the Turf Dash Stakes in March.

Sukharan is from Guyana but now lives in Blaine, Minn.

The five-furlong distance on the turf of the Honor the Hero seems custom made for Lookinforthesecret, who easily won an optional claiming race at Prairie Meadows in preparation for this contest. Paul Nolan has the riding assignment.

Smoke Smoke Smoke began his career at Canterbury Park and captured the 2004 Canterbury Juvenile. Now 5, he has since won stakes at Hawthorne and Churchill Downs but has twice lost as the odds-on favorite at Canterbury Park. In his most recent outing, Smoke Smoke Smoke stumbled at the start and was caught wide in the Shot of Gold Stakes at Canterbury, but was beaten by only a neck. He has drawn post 11 for the Honor the Hero.

Also entered is Yourmoneys-nogood, who finished a close third last time out in the Bosselman at Fonner Park after setting the pace. Dylan Williams will ride for trainer Kelly Von Hemel.

It's not often a 13-year-old is competitive in a stakes race, but Proven Cure shouldn't go overlooked in the Honor the Hero. A winner of the Sam Houston Turf Sprint and the Brother Brown Stakes at Remington, Proven Cure is trained by Marvin Johnson. Scott Stevens has the call.