Hall of Fame - Em's Always Busy

Original article written by Laura Ferguson posted 13 years 3 weeks ago

Em’s Always Busy has the rags to riches story that gives hope to all of us. He was from the first crop of Busy Signal, a son of Phone Trick who had won the Derby Trial and Dramatic Gold Stakes, and placed third in the Steward’s Cup Sprint. A nice horse, to be sure, but not a divisional leader. His dam, Truely It Is, by Is It True out of a Crimson Falcon (who?) mare, was unplaced in two starts. The main thing going for him was his owner/breeder, future Hall of Famer Ali LaDuke.

A smallish bay colt with a blocky build and powerful hindquarters, Em’s Always Busy came to hand quickly, and so he made his racing debut in the very first race run in Year 6. The field was not the strongest, but that did not matter. It was the way that the colt won that attracted attention. The colt could fly! He came back in the Inglewood Juvenile Championship, against tougher competition, and once again was an easy winner. He would then ship east, facing a pair of unbeaten colts in Badtz Maru and Nightmare Reality in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. Good things come in threes, and so it was in the hopeful, with the little colt that could once again finding the winner’s circle. Next, it was off to the newly created Sprint Championship Series. Em’s Always Busy was the heavy favorite in his division of the trials, but, shockingly, the colt suffered his first defeat to Nonchalant Speed, a rival he had previously beaten back in the Inglewood Juvenile. It was time to regroup, and on to a matchup with the fleet, unbeaten, Anxious Gold. Em’s Always Busy tried his best, but had to settle for second. His connections could take consolation in that he had once again beaten Nonchalant Speed, but Anxious Gold would walk off with the title of the fastest 2yo sprinter (a title he would probably have taken in most SIM years).

It was time for a well-deserved freshening, and so it was not until late in the spring that the colt would return to the racing wars. Em’s Always Busy quickly answered the question of whether he was merely a precocious 2yo in his seasonal debut. He would win the Dramatic Gold Handicap in a hand ride. He then took on talented sprinter Ready for Apremont, and won again, this time in the Kentucky Cup Sprint. He would continue his eastward journey to New York, where he beat Hedancesdiscopants (who would later become a fan favorite, improving with age, and probably ultimately best on turf) in the Grade 1 Jerome Handicap. He would finish out the year with a return to California, and victory in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes.

The win streak continued at age four. This time, Em’s Always Busy would stay mainly in California. An easy start to the year began with a victory in the Energy in Excess Stakes, followed by a trip to Florida, where he would meet Anxious Gold’s younger half-brother, Accio Firebolt, who was a fine sprinter in his own right, if not quite in Anxious Gold’s class (but few sprinters were). He easily defeated his younger rival, then returned to California to prep for the Steward’s Cup, which was to be held that year at Arcadia Park. The Ancient Title and California Cup were quickly added to his list of accomplishments, and then it was time for the big dance. Accio Firebolt was back, after winning a pair of graded stakes in Kentucky, as was Em’s Always Busy’s younger brother Em Luvs Being Busy (showing that lightning could strike twice, having won two Grade 1 stakes that year, and earning over $1 million. The ill-fated Emcanbebusyallday looked to be equally good in a brief career). However, the main rival appeared to be a new face on the dirt sprinting scene, a sprinting phenomenon and future Hall of Famer named Runaway. Sensational sprinting on the turf earlier in his career, Susie Raisher’s colt had won the Desert Golden Shaheen, and was here to prove that win was no fluke. Unfortunately for Em’s Always Busy, that proved to be the case. The bay gallantly chased Runaway down the stretch, but had to settle for second.

He would retire to stud with a record of 11 wins and 3 seconds from 14 starts, with earnings just shy of $2 million. However, what he did in the breeding shed totally eclipsed what he did on the track. From 139 foals, he had 29 stakes winners, eight of them millionaires. But, it is his impact on the dirt sprinting scene that is simply incredible. Em’s Always Busy has sired two winners of the Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, White Lightning and Embrace. Chevelle, another daughter, was twice second in the race. Other notables include Nitro, Inspired Skye, Sic Transit Gloria and Phoenix. His daughters have been absolutely amazing as broodmares. Embrace is the dam of two Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winners, Happy Ending and Shetalkstoangels, as well as Steward’s Cup Sprint hero Villain. Chevelle’s daughter, SS Express, found a measure of revenge for her dam by winning a Steward’s Cup race, and another son, Big Block, was twice second and once third in Steward’s Cup races. White Lightning produced Adrenalize and the swift In White Light, while another daughter produced Somewhere in Space, who also won the Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Daughters of Em’s Always Busy have also produced Puzzle Pieces and Bequeath, who both won the Steward’s Cup Juvenile Fillies Sprint, as well as the unbeaten Rodriguez, who was retired at the end of his juvenile year.

His sons have done well, perhaps not as well as his daughters, but they have also had an impact on the sprint division. Sic Transit Gloria sired Steward’s Cup Sprint winner Scream City, and runner-up Ultimate Aero, as well as SIMMY award winner Spock. Sic Transit Gloria also sired the Snowplay, who won the Steward’s Cup Juvenile Fillies Sprint. Another son, Ride Out the Storm, sired millionaires One Miracle, while Nitro had multiple champion Nitroglycerin and the talented Terrorist. Em’s Always Busy has made his mark on the dirt sprinting division for generations to come, and do not be surprised to see him continue to have an impact on all things Steward’s Cup sprint for the foreseeable future. He definitely has been busy in the SIM, and now enjoys a well deserved R & R at Ali LaDuke’s Orange Park Stud.

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