A Trio of European horses running at Kentucky Downs this weekend hit the track for the first time after clearing quarantine at Churchill Downs Monday morning.
Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Stromberg (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who came over for Saturday's $3.1 million DK Horse Nashville Derby, and 2-year-old Black Forza (Complexity), slated for Sunday's $1-million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint, went out together at 9 a.m. ET for some light exercise. They are scheduled to take a two-hour van ride to Franklin, Kentucky after training at Churchill Tuesday morning.
The European horses flew via Mersant International horse transportation from the London Stansted Airport, arriving Friday morning in Indianapolis, then vanning to Churchill Downs' onsite Kentucky Import Center to clear quarantine. They will remain under isolation protocol at Churchill Downs before shipping to Kentucky Downs.
As a Kentucky-bred, Black Forza runs for the Juvenile Sprint's entire $1-million pot.
“We were really pleased with the way he came over,” said Lauryn Faulkner, traveling with Black Forza for Irish trainer Michael O'Callaghan. “He ate everything. He settled right in here. He's nice and relaxed.”
Black Forza won the six-furlong G2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood in his latest start Aug. 1.
“He's cool; he's a dude,” Faulkner said. “He's chilled out, he's fresh. He gives you the wow factor when you ride him. So he's exciting. We can't wait to get down there. The ground over here will really suit him. The race is 6 1/2 [furlongs]. He's run over six and seven, so we think it's perfect.”
As foreign breds, Bellum Justum and Stromberg will compete for the DK Horse Nashville Derby's $1.9 million base purse.
“We're very happy with him,” said Christina Thompson, who with Ashley Hussey traveled with Group 3-placed Stromberg for Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien. “He's happy. It's a nice quiet barn. He went to the track today, had a little leg stretch, and he's in good order.”
Maddy O'Meara, in with Bellum Justum for Britain's Andrew Balding, said her colt was eager to get to the track Monday.
“We've been cooped up in the barn for three days so they were very eager to get to the track,” she said. “He felt brilliant. He's quite a big lad, and he can be quite spirited at times. He managed to keep it together today, and he enjoyed finally being out to stretch his legs. He felt good, felt strong.
Bellum Justum, the 7-2 favorite in the Nashville Derby, has been pointed for the DK Horse Nashville Derby even before he finished second in the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on Aug. 1 in Britain. He won the Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom in April before finishing third in the Listed Hampton Court at Royal Ascot June 20.
“We've planned back and trained him as if he was coming here,” O'Meara said. “That was the plan, and it's worked so far…We feel definitely confident about it. He traveled over well. He's very spritely, and he's eating and drinking. And he'll like the firm ground. He acts better on 'good to firm' so the ground will certainly suit him. He got a good draw [post 6], got a good jockey [Frankie Dettori] on him. Hopefully, it all plays together and ends up in a good result.”
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