$3.1 Million Nashville Derby Draws Overflow Field

With Kentucky Downs set to give away $3.1 million, the Aug. 31 Nashville Derby Invitational (G3T) drew an overflow field of 14 3-year-olds whose connections want in on a cut of that massive prize.

The purse for the 1 5/16-mile turf race includes $1.2 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, and only the field’s Kentucky-breds are eligible for that added money. But the remaining $1.9 million was still good enough to draw three European-based colts in Sea The Thunder , Stromberg , and 7-2 morning-line favorite Bellum Justum .

Bellum Justum, trained by Andrew Balding, won the April 23 Blue Riband Trial at Epsom Racecourse and finished seventh in the Epsom Derby (G1), beaten 13 1/4 lengths by City of Troy on ground rated good to soft. The Sea The Stars colt owned by King Power Racing came back to form with a third in the Hampton Court Stakes (G3) at Ascot and a second in the Gordon Stakes (G3) at Goodwood. Both of those recent runs came on good to firm ground and the distance here should suit him. Frankie Dettori replaces regular rider Oisin Murphy.

Maddy O’Meara, assistant to Balding, was aboard Bellum Justum when he got his first look at the course Wednesday morning.

“There is a great grass cover, and he was just skipping over it today,” O’Meara said. “He was having a good look around there, which is probably a good thing so he can get it out of his system. That’s the Sea The Stars in him.

“He is a lovely horse, a big strapping horse. Being by Sea The Stars, he can be a bit spritely at times. But he is hearty as well. He takes his work very well. I think he is coming into this in good order. Sometimes, he can be really easy, other times he is like a 2-year-old colt. This is his first trip abroad and, let’s say, he can be quite on edge. Most of the time, he is pretty good and relaxed.”

O’Meara has been all over the world with horses. When she got her first look at Kentucky Downs, she felt like she was still in Europe.

“This is awesome, really cool,” O’Meara said. “This is horse country. I haven’t been everywhere, but I have been to a lot of places. This is unique. Most of the tracks (in the U.S.) are just flat, round oval tracks. This is much more like we have back home … Goodwood, Epsom … it is quite similar to England.”

Teme Valley’s Stromberg, trained by Joseph O’Brien, finished a well-beaten 11th behind Bellum Justum in the Hampton Court but rebounded to run third in the Aug. 11 Prix Nureyev at Deauville.

Sea The Thunder broke his maiden June 26 in a handicap at Carlisle. On paper he appears to be a long shot while making his first start stateside for trainer Cherie DeVaux and owners John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services.

“If you hit the board, that’s a win most places,” DeVaux said. “It’s a good race, as all the races shape up for this little meet. But so much of this depends on if the horse can handle the course. I think the European horses that have run on courses with a configuration like this probably have a little bit of an advantage.”

West Point Thoroughbreds has interests in two of the primary contenders. West Point co-owns Audubon Stakes winner Cugino with Jimmy Kahig, and Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) winner Carson’s Run with Steven Bouchey. Cugino, who drew the outside post 12, won the June 1 Audubon at Churchill Downs by 4 1/4 lengths in his most recent start. Trainer Shug McGaughey added blinkers to the Twirling Candy colt’s equipment two back.