Sweet Azteca seeks summer double hat trick in Rancho Bernardo
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There has been a familiar and successful pattern in the summer schedule of the brilliant sprint mare Sweet Azteca in recent years.
In 2024 and again last year, Sweet Azteca won the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos in July and the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar a month later. This summer, Sweet Azteca is halfway to the same double.
On July 4, Sweet Azteca won the Great Lady M. Stakes in her first start in more than 10 months. The 6-year-old will be a heavy favorite to win the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs as the 125-pound highweight on Sunday.
After the recent win at Los Alamitos, Sweet Azteca is ready for a peak performance.
“I think she’s sound and a fitter horse,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “It seems like she’s happy.”
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It may only be mid-August, but the Rancho Bernardo is likely to be Sweet Azteca’s final start before an intended appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
Sweet Azteca, who races for owner and breeder Pam Ziebarth, has never started in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. She missed the 2024 race after finishing last of four in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita in October of that year. Last fall at Del Mar, Sweet Azteca was withdrawn from the BC Filly and Mare Sprint on veterinarian grounds on race day because of concern over a foot.
“My goal is to get her to the Breeders’ Cup,” Baltas said. “Last year was pretty disappointing. Pam would love to win the Breeders’ Cup.”
Sweet Azteca leads a field of six in the Rancho Bernardo. The competition is led by Thermal, who won the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint for fillies and mares by 8 1/4 lengths on May 25 at Lone Star Park. Thermal led throughout that six-furlong race, earning a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.
Thermal, trained by John Sadler, starts from the inside post and is expected to set the pace.
“I can’t let her get away,” Baltas said of Thermal. “She’s fast.”
Sweet Azteca is quick enough to lead but equally as effective when closely tracking the pace.
“She puts herself in the race,” Baltas said.
The Rancho Bernardo is the graded stakes debut for Sweet Gal of Mine, Sweet Azteca’s 5-year-old half-sister owned by Ziebarth and trained by Baltas. Sweet Gal of Mine was second in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf on Aug. 2 at Del Mar in her last start.
Sadler also starts Catalina Cocktail, winner of a $16,000 claiming race at a mile on July 5 at Los Alamitos. A four-time victor in 18 starts, Catalina Cocktail is entered in the Rancho Bernardo with the aspiration she can gain a placing in a graded stakes.
“We thought she can be third,” Sadler said. “That would be the hope.”
Against Sweet Azteca, a placing may be the only reasonable expectation.