Sweet Azteca repeats in Rancho Bernardo

Pamela C. Ziebarth’s homebred Sweet Azteca rolled in the $98,000 Rancho Bernardo H. (G3) at Del Mar for the second straight year on Sunday, setting herself up for a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).

Sweet Azteca entered in the same vein as last year, off a track record-setting coup in the Great Lady M (G2) at Los Alamitos. And once again, the Sharp Azteca mare was bet down to odds-on favoritism in the Rancho Bernardo. 

Yet there were differences at play in Sunday’s renewal. Sweet Azteca was defending her title under a new trainer, Richard Baltas. Unlike 2024, when she held sway throughout, this time she withstood an all-out pace war early.

The up-and-coming Formula Rossa, who had crushed both of her starts, was determined to test Sweet Azteca from the opening bell. The 1.70-1 second choice forced Sweet Azteca to reel off blazing fractions of :21.82 and :43.81 in a virtual match race. 

Despite carrying the top weight of 126 pounds and conceding nine pounds to Formula Rossa, Sweet Azteca was traveling better as they rounded the far turn. The 2-5 favorite began to get away from her rival at the top of the lane and drew 3 1/2 lengths clear.

Formula Rossa held second by 2 3/4 lengths from the deep-closing Chismosa. Longshot Donttellourwives, who initially tried to chase the leaders, found herself outpaced and dropped back to last of the quartet. Visually was scratched.

Under Juan Hernandez, Sweet Azteca clocked 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.44. Her margin last year was twice as large – a record seven lengths over Chismosa – in 1:15.60. But there was no Formula Rossa last year, and on Sunday, Chismosa was beaten almost the same amount (6 1/4 lengths) in third. 

Sweet Azteca improved her record to 9-7-0-1, $667,200. In addition to her back-to-back doubles in the Great Lady M and Rancho Bernardo, the gray stretched out to take the 2024 Beholder Mile (G1). 

Her two career losses bookended her 2024 campaign. Third in her Las Flores (G3) stakes debut off a layoff, Sweet Azteca retreated to fourth in last fall’s Chillingworth (G3) at Santa Anita. After that anomalous effort knocked her out of Breeders’ Cup consideration, she was transferred from original trainer Michael McCarthy to Baltas.

Sweet Azteca is expected to train up to the Nov. 1 Filly & Mare Sprint back at Del Mar. The five-year-old, who didn’t resurface until the July 5 Great Lady M, will be fresh for the fall. 

The Kentucky-bred is out of the multiple stakes-winning Grand Slam mare So Sweetitiz. As her name implies, So Sweetitiz descends from Tizsweet, a full sister to Hall of Famer Tiznow; $2.8 million-earner Budroyale; and the dams of Oxbow and Paynter. 

Hailing from this same extended family is Bring Theband Home, hero of the Troy (G3) at Saratoga and a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).