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Bernard S. "Bert" Michell (c.1882 - October 21, 1938) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer best known for winning the 1928 Kentucky Derby with American Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame inductee, Reigh Count.
During his career, George Odom operated a public stable whose clients over the years included Robert L. Gerry, Sr., Marshall Field III, and Hollywood film mogul Louis B. Mayer who owned Odom's most famous runner, Busher, a future Hall of Fame filly who was voted 1945 American Horse of the Year honors.
Entered in the 1991 Breeders' Cup Mile, 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 contender and betting favorite who came into the race having won four Grade 1 races that year.
(Prior to the advent of the Eclipse Awards, there were comparable awards known as the Horse of the Year, in which there were three other 3 year old filly winners (Busher, Twilight Tear, Regret, Beldame), and one 2 year old filly (Moccasin).