LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It should have been obvious. It should’ve been obvious that when Chad Brown chose the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf for I’m Very Busy’s 4-year-old debut that something, behind the curtain, had changed with this horse. That a colt with a grand total of two wins his first two years racing, no stakes success, a distant second finishing his 3-year-old campaign in a modest Grade 2, would show up in a $1 million race. It’s obvious now. I’m Very Busy roared home a close, gaining second in the Pegasus, beaten by multiple Group 1 winner Warm Heart, and only by her because her trip was perfect, and his was troubled. The colt was 14-1 – not so obvious. Even after that performance, I’m Very Busy started a relatively tepid favorite, almost 5-2, on March 23 in the $300,000 Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds. Post 13, a tough draw, made no difference. I’m Very Busy cruised home 3 3/4 lengths to the good. At this point, it should be obvious this rising star has a Grade 1 stakes with his name on it – quite possibly the $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic, the traditional race immediately preceding the Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/8-mile Turf Classic drew 11 entrants, and, apparently, I’m Very Busy’s transformation over the winter escaped the Churchill Downs linemaker, who pegged the colt an improbable 4-1 second choice. :: DRF Kentucky Derby Package: Save on PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more. “From 3 to 4, he has improved as much as any male turf horse I’ve had since Bricks and Mortar. I’m not saying he’s as good as him. But he’s improved as much, and he’s run the same numbers,” Brown said. Brown won this race three years in a row, beginning with Bricks and Mortar in 2019. Bricks and Mortar went on to capture the Manhattan, the Arlington Million, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and was Horse of the Year. I’m Very Busy easily is the best horse sired by Cloud Computing, the Brown-trained 2017 Preakness winner. If he had gotten through cleanly in the Pegasus, where Warm Heart had a dream run up the rail, I’m Very Busy would be, at least superficially, on the Bricks and Mortar trajectory. The colt now has a presence about him, confident and poised. Every move Irad Ortiz Jr. made in the Muniz to overcome his wide draw – and Ortiz rode a brilliant race – he found a willing partner beneath him. “I always liked him, thought he was a stakes horse, but I didn’t predict he’d become a Grade 1 horse,” Brown said. Brown has a two-time Grade 1 winner, Program Trading, in the Turf Classic, which will be run over Churchill’s refurbished turf course – an uncertain proposition in Brown’s mind. Program Trading makes his 4-year-old bow after adding the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in December to his Grade 1 Saratoga Derby in August. “He needed some time off after a solid campaign and he’s slowly been shaking off the rust and every week getting a little stronger, a little better moving,” Brown said. “He seems to be right on target coming into this race. He is going to have to give up some recency and fitness to some good horses in this race, particularly his stablemate.” Integration beat Program Trading in Virginia and I’m Very Busy in New York last year. He had a worse trip than I’m Very Busy finishing fifth in the Pegasus, then was at sea going one mile, short of his best distance, over a sodden Keeneland turf course, finishing third in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile. “He’s training fine and should make a good account of himself,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, who also runs Never Explain. “I don’t think he cherished the turf at Keeneland. It took a little of his kick away.” Master of The Seas, the best turf miler to race in America the last two years, proved much the best in the Maker’s Mark, but his stablemate Naval Power, who broke poorly in his North American debut, finished strongly for second while racing, like Integration, over the wrong distance and surface. “It was always our plan to head to America with him,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, who had the 4-year-old in Dubai and will watch this race from his base in England. “The mile was on the sharp side for him, and he finished off nicely. He’s a fast-ground horse.” Naval Power drew poorly in post 11 under Frankie Dettori. “Hopefully, he breaks just a bit quicker. I think naturally he has got enough pace, but we’ll have to leave it to Frankie,” Appleby said. Never Surprised will set the pace, while deep closer Webslinger, who often finds trouble, will be out the back door. All evidence says Anglophile, Cellist, and Siege of Boston aren’t fast enough, but Far Bridge could have a say. A Grade 1 winner last year, he has rejoined the barn of trainer Christophe Clement for his 2024 campaign, which began with victory in a pure prep race March 31. Far Bridge still must show he has improved from age 3 to 4. I’m Very Busy already has. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.