BELMONT, N.Y. - Artie Schiller had been on a fairly regular schedule of running every three to four weeks during the spring and summer. He enters Sunday's $200,000 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park with 47 days in between starts.
Whether the time in between races is significant or not, Artie Schiller will be a deserving and heavy favorite over five others in the Grade 2 Jamaica for 3-year-old turf horses.
A winner of three stakes this year, Artie Schiller skipped the Grade 3, $100,000 Saranac on Sept. 6, because Jimmy Jerkens said he believed the Jamaica was the more important of the two stakes to win.
Artie Schiller has had three sharp works since winning the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame by 4 1/4 lengths at Saratoga on Aug. 9. He also won the Woodlawn Stakes at Pimlico and Belmont's Grade 3 Hill Prince, which was run at 1 1/8 miles, the distance of the Jamaica. This year, Artie Schiller's lone turf defeat was to Kitten's Joy, the undisputed leader of the division.
Jerkens said that if Artie Schiller can carve out a trip like he did at Pimlico, winning the Woodlawn by 3 3/4 lengths over 12 rivals, he will be unbeatable.
"He had an unbelievable, gorgeous trip," Jerkens said of Artie Schiller's Woodlawn run. "When he can lay that close without any effort, not a horse in the world can beat him."
Jerkens said he has one worry: the course condition. With a long streak of dry weather, the turf figures to be very firm.
"Rock-hard would be a concern to me," Jerkens said.
Richard Migliore rides Artie Schiller, the 123-pound highweight, from post 2.
Artie Schiller figures to stalk Icy Atlantic and Kennel Up in the early stages of the race.
Icy Atlantic is Artie Schiller's toughest opponent. Icy Atlantic won the Grade 3 Jersey Derby in May and also finished first in the Grade 3 Lexington here, but was disqualified for interference and placed second in a controversial decision.
"I'm not excited about running against Artie Schiller," said Todd Pletcher, Icy Atlantic's trainer.
Dealer Choice makes his first start since finishing third as the beaten favorite in the restricted Mac Diarmida Stakes. The Jamaica will be only his second start since November 2003.
In his second start with blinkers, Rousing Victory won a nonwinners-of-two-lifetime allowance race at Saratoga on Sept. 2. Kennel Up finished last behind Artie Schiller in the Hill Prince. Reggie for Three is unraced on the turf.
KAREN M. JOHNSON DRF.com
Whether the time in between races is significant or not, Artie Schiller will be a deserving and heavy favorite over five others in the Grade 2 Jamaica for 3-year-old turf horses.
A winner of three stakes this year, Artie Schiller skipped the Grade 3, $100,000 Saranac on Sept. 6, because Jimmy Jerkens said he believed the Jamaica was the more important of the two stakes to win.
Artie Schiller has had three sharp works since winning the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame by 4 1/4 lengths at Saratoga on Aug. 9. He also won the Woodlawn Stakes at Pimlico and Belmont's Grade 3 Hill Prince, which was run at 1 1/8 miles, the distance of the Jamaica. This year, Artie Schiller's lone turf defeat was to Kitten's Joy, the undisputed leader of the division.
Jerkens said that if Artie Schiller can carve out a trip like he did at Pimlico, winning the Woodlawn by 3 3/4 lengths over 12 rivals, he will be unbeatable.
"He had an unbelievable, gorgeous trip," Jerkens said of Artie Schiller's Woodlawn run. "When he can lay that close without any effort, not a horse in the world can beat him."
Jerkens said he has one worry: the course condition. With a long streak of dry weather, the turf figures to be very firm.
"Rock-hard would be a concern to me," Jerkens said.
Richard Migliore rides Artie Schiller, the 123-pound highweight, from post 2.
Artie Schiller figures to stalk Icy Atlantic and Kennel Up in the early stages of the race.
Icy Atlantic is Artie Schiller's toughest opponent. Icy Atlantic won the Grade 3 Jersey Derby in May and also finished first in the Grade 3 Lexington here, but was disqualified for interference and placed second in a controversial decision.
"I'm not excited about running against Artie Schiller," said Todd Pletcher, Icy Atlantic's trainer.
Dealer Choice makes his first start since finishing third as the beaten favorite in the restricted Mac Diarmida Stakes. The Jamaica will be only his second start since November 2003.
In his second start with blinkers, Rousing Victory won a nonwinners-of-two-lifetime allowance race at Saratoga on Sept. 2. Kennel Up finished last behind Artie Schiller in the Hill Prince. Reggie for Three is unraced on the turf.
KAREN M. JOHNSON DRF.com
