The Haiku Handicapper: Preakness Stakes

Joe Nevills|May 14, 2015

American Pharoah wins the Kentucky Derby

Michael Amoruso Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah will fly to Baltimore on Wedneday for Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

DRF sales editor Joe Nevills analyzes the Preakness Stakes field, in post position order, in the form of Haiku, a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

American Pharoah
The Derby winner
Faces speed tests on both sides
Left: Rail. Right: Dortmund.

Dortmund
Just ran out of gas
In front-running Derby try
Is his tank re-filled?

Mr. Z
Runs for new colors
On a road with lots of twists
And not many wins

Danzig Moon
Ran a nice Derby
Still looks below the top tier
Doesn’t stand out here

Tale of Verve
He’ll finish higher
Than he would have at Churchill
There are eight horses

Bodhisattva
Tesio winner
Gets his name in the program
So that’s exciting

Divining Rod
Lexington winner
Well-bred, hot at the right time
Deserves attention

Firing Line
A gutsy second
Proved he belongs with the best
Time for the next step

Prediction
Two down, one to go
Pharoah takes streak to New York
Two, seven fill tri

DRF Headlines

View All