Sweet Azteca completes Rancho Bernardo hat trick
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DEL MAR, Calif. - For the third consecutive year Sweet Azteca has swept the two summertime sprints at Los Alamitos and Del Mar.
Sweet Azteca won the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos in 2024, 2025 and again last month. Sunday marked her third consecutive win in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes at Del Mar.
Sweet Azteca won by 4 3/4 lengths on Sunday, with little urging in the final sixteenth.
The race is likely to be Sweet Azteca’s final start before the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31. Last year at Del Mar, Sweet Azteca was scratched on the morning of the BC Filly and Mare Sprint because of concern over a foot.
Sweet Azteca races for owner and breeder Pam Ziebarth and trainer Richard Baltas.
On Sunday, there was little suspense in the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs once the race was underway.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Sweet Azteca ($2.60) tracked pacesetter Thermal through the turn before taking a commanding lead. She led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.
Thermal set fractions of 22.49 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.94 for a half-mile but could not withstand the presence of Sweet Azteca. Baltas instructed Hernandez to closely track Thermal, who started from the inside post.
“My filly took a breather on the backstretch and I knew she was traveling well,” Hernandez said.
Thermal, the 2-1 second choice, finished 3 1/4 lengths clear of 22-1 Antifona. Fire Ban and Catalina Cocktail completed the order of finish.
Prior to the start, Fire Ban broke through the gate, but was always held by an assistant starter. Antifona broke open her stall door, but remained in the gate.
Sweet Azteca remained settled while Fire Ban was reloaded.
“She didn’t move a muscle,” Baltas said of the incident.
Sweet Azteca was timed in 1:16.51, winning for the ninth time in her 11-race career. Sweet Azteca has earned $847,200.
“She ran like I thought she would,” Baltas said.
The Rancho Bernardo was Sweet Azteca’s fourth consecutive win and the seventh stakes win of her career. She won the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita in March 2024 when trained by Michael McCarthy.
The Great Lady M. Stakes last month was Sweet Azteca’s first start since the 2025 Rancho Bernardo.
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