I'm Very Busy's late kick dangerous in Pilgrim Stakes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – I’m Very Busy, a good-looking debut winner at Saratoga, heads a field of 12 – 10 maiden winners and two maidens – entered to run in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes for juvenile males at Aqueduct.
I’m Very Busy, a son of Cloud Computing trained by Chad Brown, unleashed a powerful stretch to kick to win his debut by 3 3/4 lengths on Aug. 13 at Saratoga. Reckoning Force, third in that race, came back to win a stakes as a maiden in his next start at Kentucky Downs.
I’m Very Busy was about six lengths off the early pace in his debut and in the stretch had a seemingly well-clear Baie Lounge to catch. Under Flavien Prat, I’m Very Busy gobbled up the ground and drew away while finishing in hand late.
“He really ran super, I only breezed him once on turf and I was very impressed,” Brown said. “He ran to his work. I think he’s like most horses in their debut, not exactly sure what’s going on, but in the second half of the race he figured it out and when Flavien asked him he sure responded well.”
Prat will ride I’m Very Busy back from post 10 in the Pilgrim, a 1 1/16-mile race scheduled for turf.
Prat had ridden Lachaise to a debut victory against New York-breds for trainer Jorge Abreu at Saratoga on Aug. 4. He now has to step up against open company in the Pilgrim, a race that affords its winner a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.
“It’s a step you have to take,” Abreu said. “There’s nowhere else to go. It didn’t surprise me he won first time. The last breeze he had with Prat from the gate was really good. He always showed he had talent.”
Jose Ortiz will ride Lachaise from post 9.
Battle of Normandy was a debut winner at Saratoga for trainer Shug McGaughey, then encountered some traffic when beaten a neck by Boppy O in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga.
Major Dude, a son of Bolt d’Oro is switching to turf in what will be his fourth career start. Trainer Todd Pletcher has worked the horse twice on the grass at Belmont Park and likes what he’s seen.
“It seems like some of the [progeny of] Bolt d’Oro have taken to the turf. That’s why we decided to breeze him on it and thought he went well,” Pletcher said.
Major Dude would look to be in the right spot should weekend rains force the Pilgrim to the dirt. Pletcher has won the Pilgrim four times, including in 2009 with Eskendereya when the race was rained off the turf.
Noble Huntsman, Bramble Blaze, Dataman, Ramblin’ Wreck, Vacation Dance, and Movisitor are the other maiden winners in the race. Fly Right and Torigo are both maidens.
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