I'm Very Busy dominates Muniz Memorial

NEW ORLEANS – I’m Very Busy might be very special.

Second with a less-than-ideal trip making his 4-year-old debut in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf, I’m Very Busy was second to none Saturday at Fair Grounds in the Muniz Memorial Stakes.

It was, in fact, not even close.

Despite breaking from post 13, I’m Very Busy walloped 12 rivals, jockey Irad Ortiz nearly matching the brilliance of his mount, who won the Grade 2, $300,000 Muniz by 3 3/4 lengths.

Gigante, a 17-1 chance who tracked pacesetting second-choice Strong Quality through splits of 22.80, 47.33, and 1:11.57 in this 1 1/8-mile grass race, held second over Webslinger, the third choice. The first quarter-mile was run mainly down the homestretch with a meaningful tailwind blowing.

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Webslinger, like I’m Very Busy, exited the Pegasus with credentials to win the Muniz. Flavien Prat followed I’m Very Busy into the homestretch thinking he’d be competitive.

“I was behind the winner. I thought I was in a good spot turning for home, and all of a sudden, I was three lengths behind,” Prat said.

That was because I’m Very Busy had sparked to life midway around the far turn, Ortiz spinning him wide for the stretch run. The 4-year-old, who appears to be the best horse yet sired by Preakness winner Cloud Computing, went whoosh.

“He gave me an amazing turn of foot down the lane,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz gave him a pretty amazing ride. Ortiz and Chad Brown, who also was Cloud Computing’s trainer, discussed how they might overcome such a wide draw, a tough spot even with a long run to the first turn. Ortiz said the tentative plan had been to leave the gate and seek some early position before the bend came. Then I’m Very Busy walked up to the Fair Grounds starting gate.

“Chad gave me the confidence to do whatever I want. When I got to the gate, I see I’m right next to the outside fence,” Ortiz said. “It’s going to be too much to try and clear some horses, and I’m not even gonna end up where I want to be, I’m going to be outside, so I said, ‘I’m going to play the break.’ ”

I’m Very Busy broke well but, Ortiz said, had no speed. Ortiz hung a sharp left turn. Before the turn, he had gotten over to the rail. Down the backstretch, I’m Very Busy traveled sweetly, Ortiz said, inching into increasingly better position while racing in tight quarters going to the half-mile pole.

“At the three-eighths pole, he jumped into the bridle on his own. I wait, I take a little hold, and then I go around them,” Ortiz said.

I’m Very Busy swooped to the lead, a different class of grass horse. He was slightly late to change leads, and once in front briefly swapped back to the wrong lead. Maybe he was just amusing himself. The race long had been over.

I’m Very Busy, who is out of Two Kisses, by Kissin Kriss, paid a relatively generous $6.80, with many bettors concerned about the wide draw – needlessly, it turned out. He was timed in 1:47.57, one of the faster renewals of the Muniz, racing on a course labeled “good” but playing and sounding like it was as closer to firm than to soft or yielding. I'm Very Busy was given a 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

I’m Very Busy campaigns for Team Hanley, Richard Schemerhorn, and Paul Braverman, who just might have the best nine- to 10-furlong grass horse in North America at this moment.

I’m Very Busy never had won a stakes before Saturday, though Ortiz said Brown liked the horse from the beginning of his career. Brown said earlier in the week that the Muniz was a prep for the Grade 1 Turf Classic on Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Imagine if this horse ran even better.

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