Sweet Azteca moves to Baltas' stable as 2025 campaign looms

ARCADIA, Calif. – Grade 1 winner Sweet Azteca, who emerged last season as one of the top female sprinters in California, will have a different trainer when she returns for a 2025 campaign.

Sweet Azteca won five of seven starts and earned $487,200 for trainer Michael McCarthy and owner-breeder Pamela Ziebarth before she was unplaced as the 1-to-10 favorite in the Grade 3 Chillingworth at Santa Anita in October. Sweet Azteca was turned out afterward.

Trainer Richard Baltas confirmed Sunday that Sweet Azteca has joined his stable at San Luis Rey Downs following a 90-day layoff. “She just came off the farm,” Baltas said. Baltas said Sweet Azteca arrived at his San Luis Rey stable on Saturday.

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Sweet Azteca will commence light training before Baltas and Ziebarth begin to consider plans for a tentative comeback. The 5-year-old mare will have a tough act to follow in 2025, because her 2024 campaign for McCarthy was outstanding.

Sweet Azteca upset heavily favored Adare Manor in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile in March at Santa Anita, and followed with two dazzling victories in sprint stakes. Sweet Azteca earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Grade 2 Great Lady M at Los Alamitos, followed by a 101-Beyer seven-length smasher in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes in August at Del Mar.

Sired by Sharp Azteca, the 5-year-old Sweet Azteca was produced by stakes winner So Sweetitiz, who also was bred by Ziebarth.

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