O'Meara Thrilled by Bellum Justum's Nashville Win

Maddy O'Meara missed out on the wedding of a close friend in England Aug. 31, but received a consolation prize when Bellum Justum  took home a $1,054,310 payday in the Nashville Derby (G3T) at Kentucky Downs.

"We're thrilled," said the assistant trainer to Andrew Balding. "(Jockey) Frankie (Dettori) struggled to pull him up, he was full of run. He did everything right."

All was well the next morning as Bellum Justum alertly watched the backstretch activity from the comfort of his stall. O'Meara reported he had licked his feed tub clean by the time she checked on him late Saturday night.

The victory was a first in the United States for Balding and the first in North America since winning Woodbine's E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) with Blond Me  in 2017. The victory also broke a curse for O'Meara, who had yet to visit the winner's circle with the dozens of horses she accompanied beyond England's borders despite several close calls.

Nashville Derby (G3T) winner #BellumJustum receives some love from assistant trainer @maddyomeara the morning after his million dollar victory at @KYDownsRacing. pic.twitter.com/fkJiCTA3A4

— Sean Collins (@BH_SCollins) September 1, 2024

Wanting to work with horses as a kid, O'Meara's joined the Thoroughbred industry at age 19 at the advice of her mother and has spent the better part of her 12-year career working with Balding team at his private yard in Kingsclere, England. O'Meara said their yard hosts just under 300 horses on site with a total staff around 100, including about 45 exercise riders.

O'Meara oversaw the early preparations of Bellum Justum when he entered the yard as a 2-year-old. 

"He was actually quite a handful," O'Meara said of the Sea The Stars  colt when he was young. "He was never nasty, he was just having a great time."

Once the youngster got going, he immediately impressed and put himself on the radar for England's biggest race: the Epsom Derby (G1).

"Once he strengthened up and got fitter, he looked like a nice horse in the way he moved," O'Meara said. "He had racehorse attitude, a 'fighting spirit.'"

Owned by King Power Racing, Bellum Justum broke his maiden at fourth asking in the final start of his 2-year-old year before returning in April to win a prep for the Epsom Derby. In the June 1 Derby, he would finish seventh to City of Troy .

He followed with placings in a pair of group stakes, the last of which was a narrow second in the Gordon Stakes (G3) at Goodwood, which gave the Balding team confidence to take a shot at the Nashville Derby's base $1.9 million purse.

"His Derby run was good and his last two runs were really good. This was perfect for him" O'Meara said. "That sort of money you don't see very often in England, which was a huge contributing factor."

The layout of Kentucky Downs' turf course worked to Bellum Justum's advantage as did the firm course. O'Meara was impressed with her experience at the Franklin, Ky. track.

"It is really laid back and relaxed," O'Meara said of the atmosphere. "It's a lovely track, everyone is really nice and helpful."

Bellum Justum traveled to the United States with two other horses: Stromberg , who finished sixth in the Nashville Derby for trainer Joseph O'Brien, and Black Forza  who runs Sept. 1 in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs for trainer Michael O'Callaghan.

O'Meara said the connections of all three horses plan to celebrate the end of the journey in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday night before beginning the journey back home for the horses, who should board a flight back to Europe Sept. 4.

By Sunday morning, O'Meara had yet to discuss future plans with Balding as he was in attendance of the wedding she missed. However, she's certain Bellum Justum's victory will be the first of many Kentucky Downs expeditions for Balding and other European connections.

"If we were to have a horse (that fits), we would definitely come back here," she said. "The purses are so big. If you have a horse who has qualified to run here, you'd be silly not to give it a go."