Opening Verse was a Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 who competed in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and the United States. Bred in Kentucky, his sire was the 1977 Epsom

Epsom Derby

The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 and Irish Derby winner, The Minstrel

The Minstrel

The Minstrel was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in Great Britain and Ireland. His performances led to him becoming the Horse of the Year in the United Kingdom, Horse of the Year in Ireland and being inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.Foaled at E.P...

. Out of the mare

Mare

Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...

 Shy Dawn, his damsire was Grey Dawn

Grey Dawn II

Grey Dawn was an French Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who was the only horse to ever beat the great Sea Bird. Grey Dawn was bred and raced by American Gertrude Widener, a member by marriage of the prominent racing Widener family...

, the French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt who famously beat the great Sea Bird II

Sea Bird II

Sea Bird II is considered by many to be the greatest post-war European flat racehorse. His Timeform rating of 145 is still the highest ever flat figure awarded by that publication. Sea Bird II is most famous for his breathtaking victories in two of Europe's most prestigious races: the Epsom Derby...

 in the 1964 Grand Criterium at Longchamp Racecourse.

Trained in England by Henry Cecil

Henry Cecil

Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....

 for Sheikh Mohammed

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...

, 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

The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...

. Then, on September 30 he won the Somerville Tattersall Stakes

Somerville Tattersall Stakes

The Somerville Tattersall Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The...

 on the same course and on October 25, the Provideo Stakes at Redcar Racecourse

Redcar Racecourse

Redcar Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Redcar, North Yorkshire, England.Its address is Redcar Racecourse Ltd, Thrush Road, Redcar TS10 2BYRedcar is Yorkshire's seaside track, oval-shaped and perfectly flat...

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

Strensall Stakes

The Strensall Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 208 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...

 at York Racecourse

York Racecourse

York Racecourse is a horse racing track in the southwest of the city of York in North Yorkshire, England with a spectator capacity of 60,000. The most famous race to be held at York on an annual basis is the Ebor Handicap, which is run during the Ebor Festival meeting in August...

. In the Group One

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 Eclipse Stakes

Eclipse Stakes

The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...

 at Sandown Park

Sandown Park

Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racing during afternoons, evenings and on weekends, and also hosts many non racing events such as trade...

, he ran second to Nashwan

Nashwan

Nashwan was a thoroughbred racehorse bred and owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.The chestnut colt was sired by the 1977 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Blushing Groom out of Height of Fashion, a daughter of Bustino previously owned by Queen Elizabeth II. He was a thus half-brother to the Group...

.

Sold to American, Allen Paulson

Allen E. Paulson

Allen Eugene Paulson was an American aviation entrepreneur, philanthropist, thoroughbred racehorse breeder and owner, and a self-made multi-millionaire.-Business career in aviation:Born in Clinton, Iowa, Allen E...

, 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

Razorback Handicap

The Razorback Handicap is a race for Thoroughbred horses run at Oaklawn Park each year. The race is open to four-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt...

 and Oaklawn Handicap

Oaklawn Handicap

The Oaklawn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of April at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas....

s at Oaklawn Park

Oaklawn Park

Oaklawn Park is an American thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South.In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Ten, Oaklawn was ranked...

 then finished seventh in the 1¼ mile Breeders' Cup Classic

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 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...

, held that year at Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...

.

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

Maker's Mark Mile Stakes

The Maker's Mark Mile Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky...

 at Keeneland

Keeneland

Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Operated by the Keeneland Association, Inc., it is also known for its reference library on the sport, which contains more than 10,000 volumes, an extensive videocassette collection, and a substantial...

, and the Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...

. Entered in the 1991 Breeders' Cup Mile

Breeders' Cup Mile

The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's inception in 1984...

, held that year at Churchill Downs, Opening Verse was up against what racecaller Tom Durkin

Tom Durkin

Tom Durkin is an American sportscaster and public address announcer specializing in Thoroughbred horse racing. He was the race caller for NBC Sports from 1984 through 2010....

 described as "an exceptionally strong field" with stars such as Priolo, the French Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, and In Excess

In Excess (horse)

In Excess is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in England and in the United States. Out of the mare Kantado, he was sired by Siberian Express, a multiple Group One winner in France....

, the American Horse of the Year 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

Pat Valenzuela

Patrick Angel Valenzuela is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Born into a racing family, his father plus three of his uncles, including Ismael Valenzuela, were jockeys. He rode his first career winner on November 10, 1978, at Sunland Park Racetrack in Sunland Park, New Mexico...

, 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.

Retired to stud

Stud (animal)

A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...

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

Colstar

Colstar is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Sired by the 1991 Breeders' Cup Mile winner, Opening Verse, she was out of the mare Ascend, a daughter of Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner, Risen Star....

.