Bout with pneumonia will keep Amalfi Sunrise out until 2020

DEL MAR, Calif. – Amalfi Sunrise, the winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 3, has been hospitalized with pneumonia at a San Diego county veterinary clinic and will not race again this year.

Trainer Simon Callaghan said on Saturday that Amalfi Sunrise was taken to the clinic in the middle of the week and that the illness is severe enough to eliminate plans for racing in coming months.

“It will be next year,” he said. “Her temperature is consistent. She’s on antibiotics.”

Amalfi Sunrise was a candidate for Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante until she sustained a hind end injury in a recent gallop. Subsequent tests did not identify the injury. Callaghan said at the beginning of last week that Amalfi Sunrise had shown improvement, only for her to become ill in the final days.

Several stables at Del Mar this summer, such as trainers Bob Baffert and Richard Mandella, have had prominent horses sidelined by illness this summer. Callaghan, too, has been affected.

“We’ve had a lot, mostly with 2-year-olds,” he said.

Amalfi Sunrise is unbeaten in two starts and has earned $159,000. Owned by Doug Branham and Marsha Naify, Amalfi Sunrise won her debut in a maiden special weight race at 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on June 23 by 6 1/4 lengths. She won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at six furlongs by six lengths.

Friday, Callaghan won the $100,702 I’m Smokin Stakes for statebred 2-year-olds with Square Deal, who won the six-furlong race by 1 3/4 lengths as the 2-1 second choice over 20-1 Bluegrass Faith. Callaghan said on Saturday that Square Deal will be pointed for the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile for statebreds at seven furlongs on Nov. 1.