Maddy O'Meara on Bellum Justum schooling in the paddock, while Adrian Beaumont of the International Racing Bureau watches Wednesday at Kentucky Downs in Franklin. That's Black Forza behind.

FRANKLIN – When asked how long she and 3-year-old colt Bellum Justum (IRE) had been on the grounds at Kentucky Downs, Maddy O’Meara took a glimpse at her watch and smiled.

“It’s been less than 24 hours,” the assistant to trainer Andrew Balding said.

The English-based horse is here to run in Saturday’s $3.1 million Grade 3 Nashville Derby Invitational, the richest race offered during the seven-day meet at Kentucky Downs. Bellum Justum is the 7-2 morning-line favorite in the field of 12 that will contest the 1 5/16 miles.

O’Meara was aboard Bellum Justum, who got his first look at the course early Wednesday morning.

The colt was easy to spot; he was wearing a bright red hood, although he won’t have them when he runs Saturday.

“Because the ground is so quick, we don’t want him to do too much,” O’Meara said when explaining the reason for the equipment. “There is a great grass cover, and he was just skipping over it today. 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 (sire) Sea The Stars (IRE) in him.”

The Nashville got on the barn’s radar even before he finished second, beaten just a neck, in the Group 3 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood in Great Britain on Aug. 1.

Bellum Justum has started four times this year and has one win, a second and a third. He finished seventh in the English Derby at Epsom. Frankie Dettori picks up the mount.

“He is a lovely horse, a big strapping horse,” O’Meara said. “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.”

This is O’Meara’s maiden voyage to Kentucky Downs. She has been all over the world with horses and when she got her initial look at the Kentucky Downs facility, she felt like she was still in Europe.

“This is awesome, really cool,” she 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.”

As an Irish-bred, Bellum Justum is not eligible for the $1.2 million available for Kentucky-breds. However, the base purse of $1.9 million still makes the Nashville Derby the richest turf race in America outside the Breeders’ Cup.