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#1 – Bourbonic
Thirteenth in Derby
Accurate barometer
Of his class level

#2 – Essential Quality
Practically ran this
Going wide in the Derby
Still head of his class

#3 – Rombauer
Shocked the Preakness field
Is it a long-term form jump
Or just a bubble?

#4 – Hot Rod Charlie
Belongs in this spot
But “play against” is safe when
O'Neill tries this race

#5 – France Go de Ina
アメリカで
ぶどうを食べた
頑張るよ

Thanks to Japan Triple Crown recruiter Kate Hunter for writing this haiku in Japanese, fitting it within the format's syllable parameters in that language. Here's how it reads in English:

In America
I ate a lot of grapes
I will try my best

#6 – Known Agenda
Substitute rider
Shouldn't harm his otherwise
Sterling credentials

#7 – Rock Your World
Derby woes aside,
Are we sure he has the gas
To last on the lead?

#8 – Overtook
The one thing he has
Over Known Agenda is
A higher sale price

Prediction
“Quality” holds sway
Over game Known Agenda
Three, four fill super

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#1 Ram
Crabcakes are yummy
D. Wayne loves taking swings here
At least he'll eat well

#2 – Keepmeinmind
Punched up at Churchill
Still chasing last season's form
He could hit the board

#3 – Medina Spirit
It doesn't matter
How I think the horse will run
None of us needs this

#4 – Crowded Trade
High-upside hopeful
Needs pacesetters to come back
To be a “win” threat

#5 – Midnight Bourbon
Has talent to hang
If Irad keeps him going
In the last furlong

#6 – Rombauer
The crystal ball shows
Plenty of future triumphs
In Grade 2 races

#7 – France Go de Ina
A fun diversion
But there's just not a lot here
To rouse confidence

#8 – Unbridled Honor
A far-back closer
Change to Saez might provide
A little more “oomph”

#9 – Risk Taking
Skipped the Peter Pan
For a shot at a classic
Lesser Chad Brown horse

#10 – Concert Tour
Prep he should have crushed
Is coming back quite harmless
Just how good is he?

Prediction
Concert Tour runs off
No one feels good about it
Five, eight fill the tri

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#1 – Known Agenda
A nightmare post draw
Torpedoes a true win threat
Still play underneath

#2 – Like the King
His road to Churchill
Traversed over Tapeta
Hard to envision

#3 – Brooklyn Strong
A last-minute call
When does that idea work?
Won't be on tickets

#4 – Keepmeinmind
Soph slump in effect
Likes the track, but that feels like
A lifetime ago

#5 – Sainthood
Recovered nicely
After Turfway donnybrook
He'll pass a few late

#6 – O Besos
Won't be knocked around
He'll earn his graded stakes due
In the months to come

#7 – Mandaloun
Early momentum
Was doused by a Fair Grounds dud
Rebounds don't win here

#8 – Medina Spirit
Couldn't seal the deal
Once he got the starting gig
On Baffert's depth chart

#9 – Hot Rod Charlie
The parts appear there
Just not sure how much I trust
The Fair Grounds prep route

#10 – Midnight Bourbon
Last two running lines
Have the same end: Outfinished
Leave him on the shelf

#11 – Dynamic One
Rapid improvement
Might not take home the roses
But wait for the Spa

#12 – Helium
Has seen Thanksgiving
As much as he's seen a race
Since mid-October

#13 – Hidden Stash
A late-stage grinder
Can't hang with mid-tier hopefuls
Not a potent blend

#14 – Essential Quality
The unbeaten champ
Does little else but ace tests
Why would he stop now?

#15 – Rock Your World
Turf-to-dirt success
We'll know all we need to know
After the first turn

#17 – Highly Motivated
Nearly nipped the champ
A breakout win's imminent
Worth a small “win” share

#18 – Super Stock
Surprised at Oaklawn
Breaking his “check-getter” cred
Can't get too enthused

#19 – Soup and Sandwich
An uncommon sight
An Into Mischief that's gray
Might grab a mouthful

#20 – Bourbonic
Long-priced Wood winner
Needs the home stretch seas to part
Tough “win” strategy

Prediction
Champion retains
“Quality” resume grows
Then nine, seventeen

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#1 – Pauline's Pearl
Bloodline of a star
But has she been a big fish
Among the minnows?

#2 – Maracuja
Big Gazelle form jump
Still puts her a rung beneath
The field's upper tier

#3 – Clairiere
Travel Column holds
A two-to-one advantage
Going head-to-head

#4 – Crazy Beautiful
Her only real dud
Came in last year's Breeders' Cup
Bad day? Class ceiling?

#5 – Pass the Champagne
Her talent's bubbling
Might be time to pop the cork
Make room on tickets

#6 – Travel Column
Starred in her last prep
And can win from anywhere
Sitting in first class

#8 – Moraz
Bred for the classics
Missing a killer instinct
Can't win without it

#9 – Coach
Like Belichick's Pats
She hasn't been a true threat
Since late October

#10 – Malathaat
Answered a big doubt
When she won outside New York
Ought to have a say

#11 – Will's Secret
Odds would cut in half
If the race were at Oaklawn
Alas, it is not

#12 – Search Results
No need to Ask Jeeves
She'll be in the lead Dogpile
Her chances Excite

#13 – Competitive Speed
Bears a fitting name
If she's in a one-turn race
Not a likely threat

#14 – Millefeuille
Her form lags behind
But her mornings are bullets
Mott might have her right

Prediction
Evenly-matched bout
Travel Column guts it out
Five, ten fill the tri

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#1 – Tacitus
A frustrating case
Loves to almost win races
Gotta be due, right?

#2 – Tiz the Law
Could the crop's top horse
Be under the radar here?
His price could be fair

#3 – By My Standards
Few are more honest
Extra furlong's the question
Big price if he can

#4 – Tom's d'Etat
Classic Stall patience
Or did that nightmare Whitney
Snuff his momentum?

#5 – Title Ready
Shouldn't have a prayer
But the Dallas Stewart factor
Keeps him on notice

#6 – Higher Power
Struggled to break through
In the West Coast's shallow ranks
Needs his all-time best

#7 – Global Campaign
Trending the right way
Might have been my Dirt Mile pick
Less imposing here

#8 – Improbable
Once a cash burner
Now could be Baffert's best shot
Just keeps improving

#9 – Authentic
How he'll fare depends
On what's left in his reserves
From his Preakness war

#10 – Maximum Security
A rocky career
Approaches its conclusion
Feels like a bounce risk

Prediction
2020's weird
Let's give it to Tacitus
Eight, four, two follow

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#1 – Excession
Hey, remember March?
We were so young then, weren't we?
That was his last start

#2 – Mr. Big News
Do we judge this horse
By his bank-breaking upsets
Or his long-priced duds?

#3 – Art Collector
The most likely threat
To test Authentic up front
With gas to kick on

#4 – Swiss Skydiver
Closer to Rachel
Than Ria Antonia
Not afraid to fight

#5 – Thousand Words
Ought to come in fresh
If he didn't leave his race
In Churchill's paddock

#6 – Jesus' Team
This would be his first
Win not running for a tag
Gonna look elsewhere

#7 – Ny Traffic
Caused Derby trouble
Still lacking killer instinct
No ticket-topper

#8 – Max Player
Always runs his race
Stands to move up with more time
In Asmussen's barn

#9 – Authentic
Minor Derby shock
He might be unbeatable
With an unchecked lead

#10 – Pneumatic
Wisely skipped Derby
His reward? Hooking a field
That might be tougher

#11 – Liveyourbeastlife
Fierce Jim Dandy drive
Is he a Spa specialist
Or finding his form?

Prediction
First, a pace meltdown
Then, Max Player secures the bag
Nine, six, three follow

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#2 – Max Player
Can't knock his hustle
Don't love the late-game barn change
Should gain some ground late

#3 – Enforceable
Looked good at Fair Grounds
But fell off the map quickly
Blue-blood would surprise

#4 – Storm the Court
How many horses
Finish third at Thistledown
Then win the Derby?

#5 – Major Fed
A fine Grade 3-type
Punching against heavyweights
Tricky assignment

#7 – Money Moves
One start in six months
An optional claimer loss
This guy's pocket change

#8 – South Bend
Which will be longer:
Touchdown Jesus's wingspan
Or lengths off winner?

#9 – Mr. Big News
First-class pedigree
Exit-row coach race record
Minor check at best

#10 – Thousand Words
His ship's been righted
Knocking around four-horse fields
What's his true level?

#11 – Necker Island
A wonderful claim
Who's lost to a lot of these
He'd be an upset

#12 – Sole Volante
Churchill plays turfy
Which might be his best surface
A player, if he's right

#13 – Attachment Rate
Has some wins in him
Don't reckon this'll be one
He'll grow up nicely

#14 – Winning Impression
A pair of sevenths
Never held back Dallas Stewart
From trying longshots

#15 – Ny Traffic
Loves to run second
Pack animal tendencies
Wait for a mile race

#16 – Honor A. P.
Mike Smith had options
This one got the final rose
Serious win threat

#17 – Tiz the Law
All that's left to do
Is avenge his Churchill loss
And he's a man now

#18 – Authentic
Nail-biting Haskell
Begs the question if he peaked
For the May Derby

Prediction
Long-awaited bout
“Law” staves off Honor A. P.
Twelve and two follow

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#1 – Tap It to Win
Did some growing up
From erratic rookie year
Could see redemption

#2 – Sole Volante
Would have liked him more
At a mile and a half
More room to uncoil

#3 – Max Player
Four months on the bench
Bred to get better with age
Wide range of outcomes

#4 – Modernist
Steady and proven
Doesn't enthrall, but trust goes
To Mott in New York

#5 – Farmington Road
Mid-to-deep closer
Has a graded stakes ceiling
Should get a small check

#6 – Fore Left
Last-minute entry
Found his mojo in Dubai
Too much still unknown

#7 – Jungle Runner
Calumet horses
Tend to blow up trifectas
But this one's helpless

#8 – Tiz the Law
The enduring force
In a crumbling division
It all goes through him

#9 – Dr Post
Can't knock his progress
This is his boldest jump yet
He's live in this group

#10 – Pneumatic
Two good ones beat him
Last time out in the Matt Winn
That's his selling point

Prediction
The scales of justice
Tip to the Cide of the Law
Three and four follow

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