Sweet Azteca had to overcome a minor setback at the end of September that cost her a scheduled workout, but the 5-year-old mare returned to her usual regimen on Oct. 11 and remains firmly on track for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. “She had a slight temperature, but the blood was good,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “I think it was a small virus or something. I really couldn’t pinpoint it. Missed a few days and a work, but she’s healthy now.” Throughout her career, in which she has racked up five graded stakes victories, the challenge has always been keeping Sweet Azteca on the track. In her first seven starts for trainer Michael McCarthy, the mare won five races but also missed 11 months of racing during two layoffs. In two starts for Baltas since July, she has clearly proved she has not lost a step, despite spending another nine months on the shelf. After winning the 2024 editions of the Grade 2 Great Lady M. at Los Alamitos and Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar, she won both 6 1/2-furlong stakes again this summer. The Rancho Bernardo is a particularly useful prep for the Filly and Mare Sprint, which will be run at seven furlongs on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. :: BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY AND MARE SPRINT: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more “She’s had a couple setbacks here and there, but she’s run some races where she’s as good a filly as there is in the country going short distances,” Baltas said. Sweet Azteca only had one published workout in September due to her minor ailment. On Oct. 11, she completed five furlongs at Santa Anita in 59.20 seconds, the third fastest of 57 runners at the distance that morning. She is scheduled to work again this weekend before shipping to Del Mar for her final workout ahead of the Breeders’ Cup. “She’s a great horse, super talented, and she always surprises you,” Baltas said. “You don’t always know where she’s coming from, but you’ve really just got to be on top of her, and she’s great. “She’s wonderful to be around, she’s sweet. You’ve just got to manage it, and hopefully no hiccups from here to the Breeders’ Cup.” Cherie DeVaux confirmed that the 5-year-old mare Vahva is still on track to run in the Filly and Mare Sprint. She has not had a workout since finishing second in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America on Oct. 4, but the trainer said that she is pointing her toward the race. :: Get Breeders' Cup Betting Strategies from Brad Free and David Aragona for exclusive wager recommendations and play the races with confidence! The Grade 1 winner went off as the 7-5 favorite in the TCA but came up short against the 3-year-old filly Praying, who won the Win and You’re In race by a half-length for trainer Robert Medina. It was Vahva’s second straight runner-up finish after she struggled to make up ground on loose front-runner Mystic Lake at Charles Town in the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon. Zeitlos, the third-place finisher in the TCA, has not worked since either, but trainer Steve Asmussen said that she came out of the race well. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.