By Stefanie Grimm
In a showdown between the top female sprinters in California, last year's GII Great Lady M Stakes winner Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca) returned to successfully defend her title Saturday defeating MGISW Kopion (Omaha Beach).
One a four-race win streak last season for trainer Michael McCarthy which included a win in the GI Beholder Mile early in the year, the now 5-year-old mare changed barns to Richard Baltas after a poor showing as the heavy favorite in the GIII Chillingworth Stakes last October. On the sidelines for nine months, the 7-2 shot picked a tough spot to make her return to the races as she lined up against outside-drawn Kopion who entered on a tear having won her last three including shipping to Churchill to take the GI Derby City Distaff Stakes on the Derby undercard May 3. In what was clearly a race between that top pair, Sweet Azteca took it right to Kopion from the break, darting in along the rail and never letting her rival get comfortable as she shot out to a solo lead through the opening quarter in :21.95. Kopion stayed right on her heels and the pair opened up several lengths back to the rest of the field into the sweeping far turn. Already several paths off the fence, Sweet Azteca blew the corner which caught her rival out several paths. Jockey Kazushi Kimura quickly tipped Kopion down inside but it was too late as Sweet Azteca had already straightened out and was too far ahead to reel back, coming home in a new track record–bettering the high-water mark she set last year. 49-1 longshot Chismosa (Clubhouse Ride) was in a solo third behind that top pair.
“She is a super filly and very professional,” said Hernandez. “I think she won the race right out of the gate. (Trainer) Richie (Baltas) did a great job with her and she loves this track.”
Baltas added, “I was actually pretty happy when I saw the early fractions. (Jockey) Juan (Hernandez) had her relaxed and she was where she wanted to be. We got the money and it's a big relief. When you get a horse from another trainer and the horse has done so well and everybody has expectations there's pressure on you. I was about 95% confident. There's little things she's done, but we figured it out. She taught us and we listened to her. I'm very proud of her and I'm very happy (owner) Pam (Ziebarth) gave me with a shot with the horse.”
Pedigree Note:
One of six stakes winners and the sole Grade I winner for Sharp Azteca, Sweet Azteca is the second foal and winner out So Sweetitiz who took a pair of stakes in California during her own racing career. Third dam Tizsweet brings Horse of the Year Tiznow (Cee'z Tizzy) into the pedigree as his full-sister. So Sweetitiz has a 2-year-old half-brother named Under the Big Sky (Tonalist) and a yearling full-sister.
SWEET AZTECA ($9.00) bested her own track record from 2024 and super sprinter Kopion in this years $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes (G2) at @losalracing. @JJHernandezS19 rode the five-year-old mare for trainer Richard Baltas.
Bet the finale: https://t.co/UZoLIUWypE pic.twitter.com/wD0FCW3cYR
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) July 6, 2025
Saturday, Los Alamitos
GREAT LADY M S.-GII, $200,500, Los Alamitos, 7-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 1:14.32, ft.
1–SWEET AZTECA, 124, 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. $120,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 8-6-0-1,
$607,200. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kopion, 124, f, 4, Omaha Beach–Galloping Ami, by Victory
Gallop. ($270,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC;
B-Tall Oaks Farm (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $40,000.
3–Chismosa, 124, m, 5, Clubhouse Ride–You Can Dream, by Cat
Dreams. O/B-Jaime R. Renella (CA); T-Rafael DeLeon. $24,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2, 3HF. Odds: 3.50, 0.20, 49.20.
Also Ran: Super Shine (Arg), One Magic Philly, Barbara T. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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