Sweet Azteca © Benoit Photo
The robust gray mare Sweet Azteca did it again, romping home by nearly five lengths Sunday in the Rancho Bernardo Stakes for her third consecutive tally in the six and one-half furlong offering. She ran the distance eased up through the lane in 1:16.51 under Juan Hernandez.
The now 6-year-old daughter of Sharp Azteca, who races out of the barn of conditioner Richard Baltas, tallied her ninth victory in her 11th start and picked up the winner’s share of $60,000 in the Grade III stakes that carried a purse of $100,000. She now has career earnings of $847,200 after winning her seventh stakes race.
Sweet Azteca went postward as the 3-10 favorite and returned $2.60 for the score.
Finishing second was By Talla Racing and Sadler Racing’s Thermal, who has three and a quarter lengths on the show horse, David and Holly Wilson’s Antifona.
Racing will now take three days off at Del Mar, but resume the action Thursday with a first post of 2 p.m.
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Sweet Azteca, winner) – “I knew that other filly (Thermal) was fast and she broke in front of me. But my filly was going well. Richie (trainer Baltas) told me to ride with confidence and I did. When we hit the three-eighths (pole) I asked my filly to go and she did. And she went on with it from there.”
RICHARD BALTAS (Sweet Azteca, winner) – “Juan (Hernandez) was saying she relaxed nice for him, she wasn’t pulling as hard. She did whatever he wanted. Juan rode the perfect race and got the job done. I was worried about something happening with her standing in the gate too long but she’s been standing really good lately and didn’t move a muscle. I’m glad it’s over. She ran like I knew she would.”
FRACTIONS: :22.49 :44.94 1:09.64 1:16.51
The stakes win was the seventh of the meet for rider Hernandez and his fourth in the Rancho Bernardo. The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Baltas and his second (Sweet Azteca, 2025) in the Rancho Bernardo.
Rider Hernandez now has 72 stakes wins at Del Mar. Trainer Baltas now has 23 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owner – and breeder – is Pamela Ziebarth of San Juan Capistrano, CA.