Opening Verse Handicap

The Opening Verse Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. A non-graded stakes race open to horses age three and older, it is contested on turf over a distance of a mile and a sixteenth.

It currently offers a purse of $65,000.

The race is named for Opening Verse, winner of the 1991 Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs.

In 2009, Churchill Downs announced that the Opening Verse Handicap was placed on hiatus.^[1]

In 2013, this race was held off the turf.

Winners

• 2016 Thatcher Street (1:38.22)---shortened to mile
• 2015 - The Pizza Man (1:43.29)
• 2014 - Regally Ready (1:42.26) (Grade I winner)
• 2013 - Silver Max (1:44.34) (Grade I winner)sloppy, main track won by 9.5
• 2012 - Guys Reward (1:41.98)
• 2011 - Turallure (1:40.41) stakes record
• 2010 - Tizdejavu (1:42.35)
• 2009 - NOT RUN
• 2008 - Inca King (1:42.39)
• 2007 - Therecomesatiger (1:43.64)
• 2006 - Rush Bay (1:42.52)
• 2005 - Senior Swinger (1:42.07)
• 2004 - Senior Swinger (1:45.82)

References

• The 2008 Opening Verse Handicap at Thoroughbred Times