Opening Verse (1986–2002) was a

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

who competed in England and the United States.

Background

Bred in Kentucky, his sire was the 1977

Epsom Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain ...

and

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

winner,

The Minstrel The Minstrel (11 March 1974 – 3 September 1990) was a Canadian-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred in Ontario, he was sold as a yearling and exported to Europe, where he was campaigned in Ireland and the United Kingd ...

. Out of the

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equidae, equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more th ...

Shy Dawn, his damsire was Grey Dawn, the French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt who beat Sea Bird II in the 1964

Grand Critérium Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor Places * Grand, Oklahoma, USA * Grand, Vosges, village and commune in France with Gallo-Roman amphitheatre * Grand County (disambiguation), ...

Longchamp Racecourse The Longchamp Racecourse (, ) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for ...

Racing career

United Kingdom

Trained in England by

Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil (11 January 1943 – 11 June 2013) was a British flat racing horse trainer. Cecil was very successful, becoming Champion Trainer ten times and training 25 domestic Classic winners. These comprised four winners o ...

for Sheikh Mohammed, at age two Opening Verse made his racing debut with a win in the August 27, 1988 Park Lodge Maiden Stakes at

Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...

. Then, on September 30 he won the Somerville Tattersall Stakes on the same course and on October 25, the Provideo Stakes at

Redcar Racecourse Redcar Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Redcar, North Yorkshire, England. The racecourse was opened in 1872. History Racing began at Redcar on the sands at Redcar beach in the early 18th century. The final meet ...

. As a three-year-old, Opening Verse went winless until September 7, 1989 when he won the Strensall Stakes at

York Racecourse York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England. It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...

. In the

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...

Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racin ...

, he ran second to

Nashwan Nashwan (1 March 1986 – 19 July 2002) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire (horse), sire. After winning both his starts as a two-year-old, he developed into an outstanding performer in the spring and summer of ...

United States

Sold to American,

Allen Paulson Allen Eugene Paulson (April 22, 1922 – July 19, 2000) was an American businessman. Business career in aviation Born in Clinton, Iowa, Allen E. Paulson was on his own at age 13, supporting himself selling newspapers and doing janitorial wo ...

, one of the preeminent owner/breeders of the 1980s and 1990s, as a four-year-old in 1990 Opening Verse raced in the United States under trainer Richard Lundy. Switched from racing on grass to dirt racing surfaces, he won the

Razorback A feral pig is a pig, domestic pig which has gone feral, meaning it lives in the wild. The term feral pig has also been applied to wild boars, which can interbreed with domestic pigs. They are found mostly in the Americas and Australia. Razorb ...

and Oaklawn Handicaps at

Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, formerly Oaklawn Park Race Track, is an American thoroughbred racetrack and casino in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to "The Racing Festival of the South", a four-day series of races that concludes with the ...

then finished seventh in the 1¼ mile

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Champion ...

, held that year at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

. Racing on grass at age five in 1991, Opening Verse had his most successful year. He won the Fort Harrod Stakes at

Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for ...

, and the

Turf Classic Stakes The Turf Classic Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race held annually in early May on the day of the Kentucky Derby, meeting on the turf at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race distance is one and one-eighth miles and is ...

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...

. Entered in the 1991

Breeders' Cup Mile The Breeders' Cup Mile is a conditions races, Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a sod, grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup, Breeders' Cup World C ...

, held that year at Churchill Downs, Opening Verse was up against what racecaller Tom Durkin described as "an exceptionally strong field" with stars such as Priolo, the French Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, and In Excess, the

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

contender and betting favorite who came into the race having won four Grade 1 races that year. Sent off as a longshot at 26:1 odds, under jockey Pat Valenzuela, Opening Verse rallied from fifth place in the field of fourteen to take the lead in the homestretch and won the race by 1¼ lengths.

Stud record

Retired to

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

duty, Opening Verse's progeny met with modest success in racing, the best of which was Grade I winner and millionaire, Colstar.

Pedigree

{{Pedigree , name = Opening Verse , f =

, m = Shy Dawn , ff =

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred that, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. After being retired from racing, he became one of the most successful Stallion, sires of the 2 ...

, fm = Fleur , mf = Grey Dawn , mm = Shy Dancer , fff =

Nearctic The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface. The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...

, ffm =

Natalma Natalma (March 26, 1957 – January 29, 1985) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the dam (mother) of the most important sire, and sire of sires, of the late 20th Century, Northern Dancer. She also established a highly inf ...

, fmf = Victoria Park , fmm =

Flaming Page Flaming Page (April 24, 1959 – 1984) was a Canadian Thoroughbred who was a Champion racehorse and then an outstanding broodmare. She is best known as the dam of English Triple Crown Races, English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky (horse), Nijinsky. ...

, mff =

Herbager Herbager (1956 – 25 March 1976) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire in both France and the United States. Background Herbager was sired by Vandale, a stayer who won the 1946 Prix du Conseil Municipal and whom Herbager ...

, mfm = Polamia , mmf = Bolero , mmm = Shy Bim , ffff =

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

, fffm =

Lady Angela Lady Angela (1944–1966) was a British-bred Thoroughbred who became the foundation mare of E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm in Canada. She was the dam of Nearctic, the Canadian Horse of the Year in 1958 and seven-time leading sire in Canada. Amon ...

, ffmf =

Native Dancer Native Dancer (March 27, 1950 – November 16, 1967), nicknamed the ''Gray Ghost'', was one of the most celebrated and accomplished Thoroughbred racehorses in American history and was the first horse made famous through the medium of television ...

, ffmm =

Almahmoud Almahmoud (1947–1971) was an American Thoroughbred racemare that was best known as an influential broodmare who produced Natalma and Cosmah. She was sired by the 1936 Epsom Derby winner Mahmoud, who was imported to the United States in 1940 ...

, fmff = Chop Chop , fmfm = Victoriana , fmmf =

Bull Page Bull Page (1947 – 1976) was a Canadian Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and an important sire. Bred by Woodvale Farm in Kentucky, he was out of the mare Our Page, winner of the historic Spin ...

, fmmm = Flaring Top , mfff = Vandale , mffm = Flagette , mfmf = Mahmoud , mfmm = Ampola , mmff = Eight Thirty , mmfm = Stepwisely , mmmf = Bimelech , mmmm = Bashful }

References

Opening Verse's pedigree and partial racing stats

Video at YouTube of Opening Verse winning the 1991 Breeders' Cup Mile
1986 racehorse births 2002 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United States Breeders' Cup Mile winners Thoroughbred family 21-a