Jamaica Handicap 2013 Contenders at Belmont Park

Las Vegas, NV - Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will play host to the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap this Saturday, October 5. Some of the best three year olds in the land will take to Belmont Park's dirt track and go 1 1/8 miles for a purse of $400,000.

The Jamaica Handicap has attracted a very large field of 13 three year olds to go in race 8 on Belmont Park's Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:40 PM. Let's take a brief glance into the past performances of all 13 entries for this lucrative Grade 1 stakes.

2013 Jamaica Handicap Race Favorite Entries

Admiral Kitten -is coming off his biggest win to date - the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park August 17 after a string of four second place finishes. Included are the Grade 3 American Derby July 13, the Grade 3 Arlington Classic May 25 and the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes also in May. He has placed in seven of eight career starts and has been at or very near the top in every race this year. He is the 7-2 favorite on the morning line and will have Rosie Napravnik in the saddle from post 4. Admiral Kitten is a coupled entry along with...

Get in Line - raced in stakes company for the first time August 9 and finished fifth in the Grade 3 Hall of Fame Stakes after an unflattering fifth in a Claiming at Churchill Downs May 17. But before that was two straight wins - a Starter Allowance in March and a Maiden Claiming in February - both races at Fair Grounds. Those results however were the only two times he has even placed in seven career starts.

War Dancer - Kenneth McPeek trained colt has eight career starts - three MSW races at Gulfstream to start his career with just one win. He won an Allowance in April at Belmont Park and went on to a respectable third in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes May 3. Last time out was a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 Travers after his best result by far - an incredible win in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby July 13 and a second in the minor Centaur Stakes at Indiana Downs June 15. War Dancer is listed at 4-1 odds - the second choice and will depart from the rail with Junior Alvarado in the saddle Saturday.

Jamaica Handicap 2013 | Remaining Contenders

Balance the Books - Chad Brown trained colt looked mighty impressive in winning the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes over Charming Kitten and Notacatbutallama at Saratoga last August 30 and the Grade 3 Bourbon Stakes at Belmont Park October 7 but has fallen off a tad since. A third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf was followed by a 4 1/2 month layoff, an ugly eleventh in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and a sixth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes. He returned to the winner's circle in the minor Stroll Stakes at Saratoga August 14 after a respectable third in the minor Solar Splendor Stakes at Belmont Park July 13 behind Notacatbutallama. Balance the Books will have Jose Ortiz in the reigns when he leaves from post 3 Saturday at 5-1 odds.

Jack Milton - Todd Pletcher trained colt has six career starts - a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in February followed a MSW score in his debut at Gulfstream January 12. He made his stakes debut April 5 in grand style - a win in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Belmont Park and has since finished third in three stakes races - in the minor Penn Mile June 1 behind Rydilluc and Charming Kitten, in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby July 13 and in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park August 17. He has fared well in some big races and should be in the mix Saturday. He goes off at 6-1 odds and leaves from post 5.

Notacatbutallama - Todd Pletcher colt is has six wins, four seconds and a third place finish in 13 career starts and had a nice three race win streak this summer - in the Grade 3 Hall of Fame Stakes August 9, in the minor Solar Splendor Stakes at Belmont Park after a terrific score in the Grade 3 Hill Prince on that same track June 15. Last time out was a respectable second Behind Five Iron in the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga September 1. The only times he's been out of the money were a fourth in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes behind Balance the Books and Charming Kitten in August and in the Grade 1 Jerome Stakes January 5 at Aqueduct. He has looked especially good this summer and enters in the best form of his career. He has five stakes wins in his career - most of any in the Jamaica Handicap. He is 8-1 on the morning line and will have Javier Castellano guiding him from the far outside post.

Up With the Birds - has eight career starts with five wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He is coming off a nice win in the minor Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine August 18 after a second in the Queen's Plate July 7 and an impressive 4 3/4 length win over Winning Cause in the minor Marine Stakes May 26. He also won the Coronation Futurity, one of Canada's richest races on this track in November to add to his impressive résumé. Stormy Len is 8-1 on the morning line and lines up from post 10.

Jamaica Handicap betting at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Stormy Len - has looked good this year in placing in six of seven starts. He is coming off a decent third in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer at Woodbine September 15 after a pair of good results at Arlington Park - a second to Admirable Kitten in the Grade 1 Secretarial August 17 and a third in the Grade 3 American Derby July 13. This after three straight Allowance races at Belmont Park yielded a win, a second and a third place finish. He has been very competitive this year all over the eastern seaboard and should be in the mix Saturday. He is one of three entries listed at 8-1 odds Saturday.

Five Iron - Impressive Brian Lynch trained colt won two straight stakes races at Woodbine this summer - the Victoria Park Stakes and the Toronto Cup Stakes before a terrific, career defining win last time out in the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes September 1 at Saratoga. He has four wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 11 career starts - three of his four wins coming in his last three starts overall. He has been simply sensational lately and is expected to seriously challenge this weekend. Despite the recent success Five Iron is 10-1 on the morning line.

Joha - finished a close second behind Balance the Books in the With Anticipation Stakes in August but bounced back with a terrific win in the Grade 1 Dixiana Futurity at Belmont Park in October for his third win in four starts. The Michael Maker colt has stumbled in his next three starts however - an eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf was followed by a ninth in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November and a tenth in the Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park in June (after a seven month layoff). He has rebounded with three straight money finishes - a third last time out in the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga and a pair of second in minor stakes action - the Sir Cat July 28 and the Solar Splendor July 13. Joha is 20-1 on the morning line and departs from post 8.

Mills - Barclay Tagg trained gelding races in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday after a third in his stakes debut - the minor Stroll Stakes August 14 at Saratoga. Prior to that were two wins and two seconds. He has placed in all five career starts and appears ready for his step up in competition Saturday. He goes off at 20-1 odds and will have Irad Ortiz in the saddle.

Michael With Us - has 11 career starts with two wins, five seconds and two third place finishes. He stepped up in graded stakes company three back and finished an ugly eighth in the Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes but bounced back with two straight seconds in stakes action - last time out in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes September 7 at Delaware Park and in the minor Restoration Stakes behind Hard Enough at Monmouth August 17. He won the OBS Championship Stakes at Ocala Training Center in March but followed that with a disappointing sixth in the minor Calder Derby April 6. His last win came in May - an Allowance Optional Claiming May 26 at Monmouth Park. Michael With Us is listed at 20-1 odds for the Jamaica.

Global Asset - steps up in stakes company for the first time Saturday after seven starts yielded three wins and two third place finishes. Last time out was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Monmouth after a pair of wins on that track earlier this summer. He is the longest shot in the field at 50-1 odds - not much is expected.

---

2013 Jamaica Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:40 PM.