Tale of Verve Sires First Winner at Oaklawn

Classic-placed second-crop sire Tale of Verve   was represented by his first winner when Windy Bay  prevailed by a nose in the seventh race at Oaklawn Park March 16.

Making her first start for her new connections since being claimed for $30,000 last time out, Windy Bay was gunned to the lead under rider Franciso Arrieta. Uncontested through opening fractions of :22.75, :46.79, and 1:13.03, Windy Bay rolled into the lane on top by three lengths. Favored Lady With a Cause  cut into her advantage late but Windy Bay outlasted her rival at the wire.

Windy Bay, making her eighth trip to the post, raced the one mile on a sloppy main track in 1:40.29.

The 3-year-old filly is owned by Flurry Racing Stables and trained by Cipriano Contreras. Bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke, she sold as a 2-year-old to WSS Racing for $150,000 at last year's Ocala Breeders' Sales' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Racing for the colors of Fipke, Tale of Verve earned more than $500,000 on the track and was the runner-up behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Preakness Stakes (G1). Tale of Verve is a son of Tale of Ekati   and out of the Unbridled mare Verve. His full sister Verve's Tale is a graded stakes winner of $636,400.

Tale of Verve retired to Darby Dan Farm in Lexington in 2019, where he stands the current breeding season for a private fee.