Bellafina probable for Cotillion Stakes

Bellafina, who was third in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 3 in her only start of the summer, is tentatively scheduled to return in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Parx Racing on Sept. 21.

Trainer Simon Callaghan said the $1 million Cotillion Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is preferred over the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks at seven furlongs on the same day.

“The travel there is problematic,” he said of Charles Town. “It’s a flight and an extremely long van ride.”

The Cotillion Stakes has become one of the nation’s leading races for 3-year-old fillies in recent years and will be the first start around two turns for Bellafina since she finished fifth as the 9-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 3. Owned by Kaleem Shah, Bellafina won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on April 6.

Amalfi Sunrise, the unbeaten winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 3, remains hospitalized with a virus but has shown improvement in recent days, Callaghan said.

“She’s still in the clinic and her situation is becoming more stable,” he said. “There is a long road ahead of her.”

Amalfi Sunrise was hospitalized in late August. She will not race again this year.

“When we sent her in there, we knew it would be at least a two-week deal,” Callaghan said. “These situations are always worrisome. We’ve seen some improvement.”