Continuing to dominate her division, Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca) shrugged off the talented yet lightly-raced Formula Rossa (Vekoma) to win her second consecutive GIII Rancho Bernardo Stakes at Del Mar.
The race was also part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series heading toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, that will be run at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Sweet Azteca's victory earned her an additional $15,000 toward the $30,000 entrance fee for the $1-million race.
The 2-5 choice broke cleanly from the outside and came out swinging as she forged to the fore in tandem with TDN Rising Star Formula Rossa. Well clear of the others, the top two choices blazed through an opening quarter in a crisp :21.82 before throwing down an equally sparkling half mile in :43.81.
Given her cue by Juan Hernandez at the quarter pole, the grey shook free of her game rival in the stretch and ran clear late to score by 3 1/2 lengths, completing the task in 1:15.44 for 6 1/2 furlongs.
Formula Rossa finished 2 3/4-lengths ahead of closer Chismosa with Donttellourwives (Khozan) rounded out the complete order of finish.
“No, there was no problem with my horse running alongside that other one up the backstretch; my horse was enjoying it,” said Hernandez. “She likes a good fight. They were going fast, but she was going easy. When we hit the quarter pole, I asked her and we were gone. She's good.”
Winning trainer Richard Baltas added, “I thought they went a little too fast but obviously, they had a plan to hook me. I think that was a big mistake but they're trying to win and we're trying to win. My filly's a lot bigger and stronger. His horse is super talented. No surprises.”
The stakes win was the seventh of the meet for rider Hernandez and his third in the Rancho Bernardo. It was also the initial stakes victory of the meet for trainer Baltas and his first in the Rancho Bernardo.
Victorious in her sole start at three for trainer Michael McCarthy, Sweet Azteca won four of six starts in 2024, including the GI Beholder Mile over favored Adare Manor. Victorious in the 6 1/2-furlong GII Great Lady M. at Los Alamitos, she added a seven-length score in the Rancho Bernardo before tiring to finish a well-beaten fourth in the GIII Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita Oct. 5.
Joining Richard Baltas for 2025, she launched her 5-year-old campaign the right way, defending her title in the Great Lady M, defeating dual Grade I winner Kopion (Omaha Beach) in the process.
Pedigree Notes:
Sweet Azteca is the sole Grade I winner for 2017 GI Cigar Mile winner Sharp Azteca, who stands at Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan. Sweet Azteca, a third generation homebred for Pamela Cee Ziebarth, is out of the Grand Slam mare So Sweetitiz, herself a MSW for Ziebarth.
The filly's fourth dam, Cee's Song (Seattle Song), was raced by Zeibarth's late mother Cecilia Straub Rubens, producing Horse of the Year and dual Breeders' Cup Classic hero Tiznow and multiple graded stakes winner Budroyale–both full-brothers to Sweet Azteca's third dam Tizsweet.
Sunday, Del Mar
RANCHO BERNARDO H.-GIII, $98,000, Del Mar, 8-24, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 1:15.44, ft.
1–SWEET AZTECA, 126, m, 5, by Sharp Azteca
1st Dam: So Sweetitiz (MSW, $180,480),
by Grand Slam
2nd Dam: Sweetitiz, by El Prado (Ire)
3rd Dam: Tizsweet, by Cee's Tizzy
O/B-Pamela Cee Ziebarth (KY); T-Richard Baltas; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 9-7-0-1, $667,200. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Formula Rossa, 117, f, 3, Vekoma–Fay Na Na, by Majestic Warrior. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($130,000 Ylg '23 KEEJAN; $270,000 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). O-Muir Hut Stables LLC; B-Greathouse Equine, LLC & Glencrest Farm, LLC (KY); T-Mark Glatt. $20,000.
3–Chismosa, 119, m, 5, Clubhouse Ride–You Can Dream, by Cat Dreams. O/B-Jaime R. Renella (CA); T-Rafael DeLeon. $12,000.
Margins: 3HF, 2 3/4, 6 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 1.70, 11.90.
Also Ran: Donttellourwives. Scratched: Visually.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
SWEET AZTECA ($2.80) and @JJHernandezS19 throw down in the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) at @DelMarRacing for trainer Richard Baltas and owner/breeder Pamela Ziebarth.
Watch on-site coverage of Del Mar on @FanDuelTV. Bet with @FanDuel Racing.https://t.co/XK3TJD0A2X pic.twitter.com/mtgDkJs1rx
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 24, 2025
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