Sweet Azteca could start in Ballerina Stakes as tuneup for BC Filly and Mare Sprint
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Sweet Azteca is likely to have only one race before an intended start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1 after winning her first start of 2025 in record time in Saturday’s Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos.
Trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday that Sweet Azteca may start in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at seven furlongs for fillies and mares at Saratoga on Aug. 23. The winner of the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
“We could do that,” he said. “It’s something to look at, for sure. Obviously, she has to ship.
“I think she needs to run one more time.”
Baltas’s stable will be based at Del Mar this summer. The only graded sprint stakes for fillies and mares at that meeting is the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes, a $100,000 race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 24.
Sweet Azteca started for the first time since October in Saturday’s $200,500 Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs and lowered her own track record by leading throughout. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Sweet Azteca was timed in 1:14.32. She won the 2024 Great Lady M. Stakes in 1:14.33.
“This is where she wants to be,” Baltas said in the winner’s circle. “Juan had her relaxed. She was doing it easy.
“I’m really happy and excited about her; very proud of her performance. I had a lot of works into her, and she broke the track record again.”
Sweet Azteca ($9) finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of 1-5 favorite Kopion, who was beaten for the first time this year. Kopion started in the Great Lady M. Stakes on the strength of three consecutive wins at seven furlongs since late December, including the Grade 1, $1 million Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 3.
Trainer Richard Mandella said on Sunday that Kopion lost her left front shoe in the Great Lady M. Stakes, but was unsure when that occurred.
“She did lose her left front shoe in the race,” he said. “She cooled out a little tender. It had an effect on her, but I’m not sure how much. It gives us some little bit of reason” for the loss.
Mandella said he does not have any race planned for Kopion, who has won 5 of 8 starts. Prior to the Great Lady M. Stakes, Mandella mentioned the Ballerina and the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 2 as possibilities.
“I’ll spend a week thinking about it,” he said. “We won’t jump to any conclusions.”
Sweet Azteca, who races for owner and breeder Pamela Ziebarth, has won 6 of 8 starts and earned $607,200. Aside from the two runnings of the Great Lady M. Stakes, her other stakes wins are the Grade 1 Beholder Mile for fillies and mares at Santa Anita in March 2024, and the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes at Del Mar last August.
Last October, Sweet Azteca finished last of four in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita in what was her final start for trainer Michael McCarthy. Ziebarth transferred Sweet Azteca to Baltas last winter.
Sweet Azteca was scratched from the Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita on June 1 after sustaining a cut, Baltas said at the time. Sweet Azteca was back in training days later.
In the winner’s circle, Baltas described Saturday’s win as “a big relief.”
“When you get a horse from another trainer and it’s done so well, everyone has expectations,” he said. “When you have a horse that has run like her, and has run these kind of numbers, you’ve got to keep them together. There is pressure on you.
“I was 95 percent confident. Five percent of me was I’ve never run this filly before and she’s always worked well. She’s taught us and we’ve listened to her. I’m very proud of her and I’m very happy that Pam gave me a shot with the horse.”
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