Sweet Azteca will likely make next start in Rancho Bernardo, Baltas says

Sweet Azteca, who won the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos for the third consecutive year on Saturday, is likely to have one more start in advance of an intended appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Sweet Azteca won the sixth stakes of her 10-race career in the $201,000 Great Lady M. Stakes, her first start since a win in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar last August.

The $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 16 is likely to be her next start, trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday.

“It’s not the biggest race in the world, but it’s the timing that’s good,” Baltas said.

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Baltas tried the same schedule in 2025, only for Sweet Azteca to be withdrawn from the BC Filly and Mare Sprint on veterinarian grounds on race day because of concern over a foot.

“It was a tough day for us,” Baltas said.

Pam Ziebarth, who owns and bred Sweet Azteca, kept the mare in training this year with the intention of starting in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland, Baltas said.

Baltas said the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 3 is unlikely.

“I don’t think I’m going to do that,” he said.

In the Great Lady M. Stakes, Sweet Azteca set a fast pace and won by 1 1/4 lengths as the 7-10 favorite.

On Sunday, Baltas expressed a mix of relief and satisfaction that the 6-year-old Sweet Azteca had returned to winning form in her first start this year. A five-furlong workout in 59.40 seconds at Santa Anita on June 28 was crucial.

“I had some second thoughts going in,” he said. “I talked about her fitness. With that being said, you have a little slight doubt in your head. You have to trust your instinct.

“It was a great start of this year. I can manage her from there.

“She’s probably the most talented horse I’ve trained. She was on it yesterday and she was ready to roll.”

Baltas trains the turf sprint mare Ag Bullet, a seven-time stakes winner who was second in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes against males at Saratoga on June 6 in her first start of the year.

The Grade 1 Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 29 is a goal for Ag Bullet, who is under consideration for two $100,000 turf stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar on July 25 – the Osunitas Stakes at a mile or the Daisycutter Handicap at five furlongs.

“We might run her at Del Mar,” Baltas said. “We’ll look at it. The goal is the race at Kentucky Downs.”

Ag Bullet has won the Ladies Turf Sprint the last two years as the favorite when the race had purses of $1.5 million and $2 million. This year’s running is worth $1.875 million.

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