The Haiku Handicapper: 2017 Breeders' Cup Card

Joe Nevills, sales editor for the Daily Racing Form and columnist for Arabian Finish Line, analyzes each race of the 2017 Breeders’ Cup World Championships in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

Friday, Nov. 3

Juvenile Fillies Turf
If the turf's not firm
No one touches Happily
Still tough if it's dry

Dirt Mile
Enters the fray fresh
With the Breeders' Cup's top jock
Mor Spirit looks strong

Juvenile Turf
A foreign horse wins
Canada's Hemp Hemp Hurray
In a small upset

Distaff
Stellar Wind looks primed
But winless at the distance
Let's go with Elate

Saturday, Nov. 4

Juvenile Fillies
Hasn't turned a hair
No reason that should change now
Moonshine Memories

Turf Sprint
If not Lady A
It's a jump ball for a price
But it's Lady A

Filly & Mare Sprint
Bella's a monster
Skye Diamonds might be faster
The monster gets caught

Filly & Mare Turf
Eli deserves it
Another Euro buzzsaw
Rhododendron blooms

Sprint
Drefong's greatest test
Comes not from competition
But the Del Mar gap

Mile
Tinkering no more
World Approval found his niche
And hits the sweet spot

Juvenile
A punctual break
Only spiked the win margin
Bolt is no shocker

Turf
Highland Reel boards planes
And runs big in global tilts
His U.S. streak grows

Classic
Asmussen's top Gun
Targets Baffert's battalion
And his aim is true