Heckuvashot tries shorter sprint

ELMONT, N.Y. – Heckuvashot has proven to be a solid horse, but trainer Todd Pletcher hasn’t yet identified the best distance for the 4-year-old son of Trappe Shot. On Friday, Pletcher will cut the horse back slightly in distance for a six-furlong allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race that serves as the feature at Belmont Park.

Heckuvashot has won at seven furlongs and a mile but has been less effective around two turns. He is coming off a second-place finish to Clearly Now in a second-level allowance race at Gulfstream in which that horse set a track record of 1:20.17 for seven furlongs.

“Trying to identify really what his forte is,” Pletcher said. “He has run well short and has run well at middle distances. I thought his last race was good, he was just second-best to a horse, when on his game, is a pretty nice horse. I just figured back him up to a sprint distance; that seemed to be what his sire did best.”

Heckuvashot will break from post 2 under John Velazquez.

Lex Vegas is coming off a front-running first-level allowance win at Keeneland on April 14.

“I thought it was a great effort at Keeneland,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “He was very wide down the backside, but then he opened up on them and finished up great.”

Lex Vegas has come back with a bullet half-mile work at Keeneland on April 29.

Do Share and Alex the Terror, both coming off victories on the Claiming Championship Day at Aqueduct on April 1, Anytime Anyplace, and Fortuitous Path complete the field.

Race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

Heckuvashot, by Trappe Shot

Last 3 Beyers: 96-88-88

◗ Shortens up to a distance at which he finished fourth in his career debut 15 months ago at Gulfstream Park after getting off poorly.

◗ Closed well to be second to Clearly Now in track-record time at Gulfstream on April 1. Encryption, the fifth-place finisher from that race, came back to win an allowance at Gulfstream.

Lex Vegas, by Street Boss

Last 3 Beyers: 91-83-83

◗ Showed good speed when breaking from the outside, pressed the pace, and drew away in an April 14 allowance at Keeneland.

◗ Likely will have to use his speed from the rail under Javier Castellano.

Alex the Terror, by Mineshaft

Last 3 Beyers: 94-88-83

◗ Came off a seven-week layoff to win the Caixa Eletronica Stakes on Claiming Championship Day in the mud over the main track.

◗ Makes first start at Belmont since October 2015, when third, beaten a neck, in a first-level allowance. Did win a starter allowance going six furlongs here in September 2015.