Jamaica Handicap

The Jamaica Handicap is American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run annually on the turf at Belmont Park in Elmont on Long Island, New York. Set at a distance of nine furlongs (one and one/eighth miles), because it is run in early October, it can sometimes be used as a prep to either the Breeders' Cup Turf Mile or the 1½ mile Breeders' Cup Turf.

In 2009, the Jamaica was a Grade I event. Offering a purse of $300,000, it is named after the Jamaica District in Queens, New York. The first running took place in 1929 at the Jamaica Racetrack. When the Jamaica track closed in 1959, the race was shifted to the Aqueduct Race Track in Queens where it was contested in 1960, 1975 to 1977, 1979 to 1981, and 1987.

It was raced at a distance of six furlongs from 1929 to 1953 and 1957 to 1960, then at 1�...> miles (9 furlongs) in 1954, and from 1997 through the present. The Jamaica Handicap was open to horses age three and older from 1929 to 1944, 1949 to 1953, and again in 1960. It has been a turf race since 1994. The Jamaica wasn't run from 1933 to 1935, in 1955 and 1956, from 1961 to 1976, nor in 1995 (due to severe weather conditions). It was run in two divisions in 1946. Of interest is that any horse winning three editions of a single race is a rare occurrence but the Jamaica Handicap has had two horses accomplish that feat.

Belmont Park Graded Stakes Races

Stakes Race Grade Purse
Westchester Handicap III $150,000
Beaugay Stakes III $150,000
Fort Marcy Stakes III $100,000
Peter Pan Stakes II $200,000
Sheepshead Bay Stakes II $250,000
Metropolitan Handicap I $750,000
Sands Point Stakes II $200,000
Acorn Stakes I $300,000
Ogden Phipps Handicap I $400,000
Vagrancy Handicap II $200,000
Brooklyn Handicap II $200,000
Jaipur Stakes III $150,000
Belmont Stakes I $1000,000
Just A Game Stakes I $500,000
Manhattan Handicap I $500,000
True North Handicap II $400,000
Woody Stephens Stakes II $400,000
Hill Prince Stakes III $150,000
Mother Goose Stakes I $300,000
New York Stakes II $200,000
Dwyer Stakes II $200,000
Bed O'Roses Handicap III $150,000
Poker Stakes III $150,000
Suburban Handicap II $350,000
Victory Ride Stakes III $150,000
Man O'War Stakes I $600,000
Bowling Green Handicap II $150,000
Garden City Stakes I $250,000
Noble Damsel Stakes III $100,000
Gallant Bloom Handicap II $150,000
Kelso Handicap II $200,000
Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes I $500,000
Beldame Invitational Stakes I $350,000
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes I $500,000
Jockey Club Gold Cup I $750,000
Vosburgh Invitational Stakes I $350,000
Miss Grillo Stakes III $100,000
Pilgrim Stakes III $100,000
Tempted Stakes III $100,000
Nashua Stakes II $150,000
Frizette Stakes I $300,000
Jamaica Handicap I $250,000
Champagne Stakes I $300,000
Athenia Stakes III $100,000
Knickerbocker Stakes III $100,000
Turnback The Alarm Handicap III $100,000
Bold Ruler Handicap III $100,000