Nauset Beach's best shot puts him right there in Wednesday allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Terri Pompay said she never used to know what she was going to get when she sent Nauset Beach out to run during the early stages of his career. But with maturity, the 6-year-old has brought a little more consistency to his game, and his best effort should have him right in the thick of the battle in Wednesday’s $49,000 optional-claiming feature, which drew a field of six older horses going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Nauset Beach is coming off arguably the best race of his career, a tough nose loss to Hy Riverside after contesting all the pace under Paco Lopez in the Sunshine Millions Classic here on Jan. 21.

“That was heartbreaking,” said Pompay, who trains the homebred Nauset Breach for Pat Generazio. “He’s finally gotten into the groove a little bit and seems to be enjoying what he’s doing. You can count on him now because you know he’s going to show up for every race. He hasn’t always been like that.”

Although Pompay believes Nauset Beach doesn’t have to be on the lead to be effective, she said she doesn’t want him to get too far off the pace.

“Last time, Paco tried to steal it,” said Pompay. “But he doesn’t want to have to close from too far back either. He seems to really get discouraged when he’s not near the front. I think he’s doing as well as or even better than he was last time, and I expect him to run another big race. I just hope we don’t get beat by a whisker again. That was too frustrating.”

Nauset Beach will face a group that includes the much-improved Heckuvashot, who steps up in class for trainer Todd Pletcher while seeking his third straight victory, and Papa Zulu, exiting a fourth-place finish in the Poseidon Handicap.

Heckuvashot looks like a different horse since he returned from an eight-month vacation to win a seven-furlong maiden dash with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 25. He then successfully stretched out to a mile to capture his entry-level allowance condition here in his 2017 debut. That field included the next-out allowance winner Frammento.

Papa Zulu posted far and away the top Beyer of his career, a 96, when beaten 4 3/4 lengths by Imperative in the nine-furlong Poseidon. A stretch-running 4-year-old, Papa Zulu should be the major beneficiary if a pace duel develops in the main event.

Conquest Windycity makes his first start since being purchased and sent to trainer Brendan Walsh this winter. Walsh has taken the blinkers off Conquest Windycity, who returns to the main track for the first time since finishing eighth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby last March.

Key Contenders

Nauset Beach, by Scat Daddy

Last 3 Beyers: 91-80-72

◗ He finished nearly a length in front of the 3-5 Awesome Slew in the Sunshine Millions Classic. Awesome Slew flattered the effort when he returned to finish second behind the odds-on Sharp Azteca in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

Heckuvashot, by Trappe Shot

Last 3 Beyers: 89-90-62

◗ He’s obviously remained sharp since his allowance win, having posting a pair of bullet works this month at Palm Beach Downs.