Multiplier — Blog — Joe Nevills

Joe Nevills, sales editor of the Daily Racing Form and columnist for Arabian Finish Line, analyzes the Belmont 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.

#1 - Twisted Tom
Paid for admission
No bad steps since turning three
We've seen crazier

#2 - Tapwrit
Off two troubled starts
But he fought back at Churchill
Live with a clean trip

#3 - Gormley
Not quick, but can grind
Could take home some purse money
Out of attrition

#4 - J Boys Echo
Star-making Gotham
Continues to get smaller
In rear-view mirror

#5 - Hollywood Handsome
Ran a distant fifth
In the Illinois Derby
You're still reading this?

#6 - Lookin At Lee
Proven check-getter
Likely peaked at the Derby
But rarely falls far

#7 - Irish War Cry
Using a classic
As a prep for the Haskell
How deep will he dig?

#8 - Senior Investment
Surprising Preakness
Puts his stock on the upswing
Distance causes doubts

#9 - Meantime
Local prep bridesmaid
Could get the pace to himself
Don't think he keeps it

#10 - Multiplier
Didn't show a lot
In class-climbing Preakness try
This test looks tougher

#11 - Epicharis
Japanese hopeful
Has the tools to make a dent
But his vet reports...

#12 - Patch
Outside post again
But he picks up Johnny V
Stands to take a piece

Prediction
If he's away clear,
Tapwrit will grind out a win
Seven, twelve follow

Joe Nevills, sales editor of the Daily Racing Form and columnist for Arabian Finish Line, 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.

#1 - Multiplier
The next horse to turn
The Hawthorne/Preakness double
Wins at my expense

#2 - Cloud Computing
Making his fourth start
Recent efforts don't scream out
"I want this distance"

#3 - Hence
Middling Derby tilt
Still outshines most shooters here
Fourth seems about right

#4 - Always Dreaming
The Derby winner
Lived up to hype at Churchill
The win goes through him

#5 - Classic Empire
Derby rewards trips
Preakness rewards better horse
It could still be him

#6 - Gunnevera
Never been a fan
Of deep closers coming back
After bland Derby

#7 - Term of Art
His closest finish
In a meant-for-dirt stakes race
Is six lengths behind

#8 - Senior Investment
Promising future
Winning nice allowances
This seems ambitious

#9 - Lookin At Lee
Dynamite rail trip
Never seems to fool them twice
When the show moves east

#10 - Conquest Mo Money
Hard not to root for
But he seems to hit his wall
A few panels short

Prediction
Champ Classic Empire
Channels Lookin at Lucky
Four, ten fill the tri