Bellafina likely to train up to Test Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bellafina, the six-time stakes winner who was fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 3, has returned to trainer Simon Callaghan’s stable at Santa Anita.

Callaghan said on Sunday that Bellafina is scheduled to have her next start in the Grade 1 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 3 and is unlikely to have a race in the interim.

“Most likely, we’ll point for the Test,” Callaghan said. “We’ll take our time with her.”

Bellafina was given a brief vacation at a Kentucky farm following the Kentucky Oaks, in which she finished eight lengths behind Serengeti Empress as the 9-5 favorite.

Earlier this year, Bellafina won three consecutive graded stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on April 6.

The brief vacation will prepare Bellafina for the second half of the year, in which races around one-turn will be emphasized, Callaghan said.

“We let her relax and have some grass and let her decompress a little bit,” he said. “She’s done really good with the break.”

Owned by Kaleem Shah, Bellafina has won 6 of 9 starts and earned $1,102,125.