Sweet Azteca probable for Sweet Lady M. after strong workout
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A fast workout by Sweet Azteca at Santa Anita on Sunday is likely to result in a start in Saturday's Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos, a race she has won the last two years.
Sweet Azteca worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, although trainer Richard Baltas timed the 6-year-old mare in 58.40.
“She’s a good work horse,” Baltas said. “She did it easy. Today, I let her run a bit.”
Sweet Azteca was ridden in the workout by Armando Ayuso, who will have the mount in the $200,000 Great Lady M. at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Ayuso replaces a suspended Juan Hernandez, who is ineligible to ride from Friday through July 9 while serving a seven-day suspension issued at Royal Ascot in Britain on June 17.
Hernandez was cited for using his whip “in the incorrect place on two occasions on the run to the line” in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes, according to a British Horseracing Authority statement. Ruiva finished third, beaten two lengths.
Suspensions issued in Britain are for calendar days and not racing days, which is typically the case in California.
In California, most suspensions allow a rider to participate in graded stakes. Britain does not have such a provision.
Sweet Azteca, who races for owner and breeder Pam Ziebarth, had her fifth workout since late May on Sunday. She worked in company with Peppermint Dash, according to Baltas. Peppermint Dash, who won a maiden race in her debut at Santa Anita in April, was timed in 1:00.40.
Baltas timed Sweet Azteca galloping out six furlongs in 1:11.60.
The Great Lady M. will be Sweet Azteca’s first start since a win by 3 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar last August. Sweet Azteca was scratched by veterinarians from the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar last November because of a foot issue.
Last year, Sweet Azteca returned from a nine-month layoff to win the Great Lady M. by 1 1/2 lengths over the Grade 1 winner Kopion. Sweet Azteca was timed in 1:14.32, a track record, and a hundredth of a second quicker than the mark of 1:14.33 she set in the 2024 running.
Sweet Azteca will be a strong favorite in this year’s field. Other probable starters are A.Z. Wildcat, Grand Slam Smile, Magnificat, Nooni and Syntax.
The Great Lady M. is the richest race of the current three-week meeting at Los Alamitos, which ends on July 5. The Del Mar summer meeting begins on July 17.
- additional reporting by Brad Free
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