The Opening Verse Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Churchill Downs.
A race on turf over a distance of one mile, it is open to horses of either sex age three and older.
The inaugural running of the Opening Verse took place on June 12, 2004, and was won by Senor Swinger.
[1] Owned by prominent Californians Robert & Beverly Lewis and trained by U.S.
[2] In 2013 and again in 2020, weather conditions were such that for safety reasons the race was switched from the turf course to the dirt track.