Del Mar: Sweet Azteca leads small field in Rancho Bernardo

Pamela Ziebarth’s homebred gray mare Sweet Azteca stands out, way out, among the five fillies and mares entered in the 52nd Grade 3, $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap, the Sunday feature at Del Mar.

The speedy daughter of Sharp Azteca has won six of her eight starts, including a victory in this same Rancho Bernardo last year by seven lengths. She sports earnings of $607,200 and appears likely to add to them Sunday in the 6 1/2-furlong, main-track test.

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Trained by Richard Baltas, Sweet Azteca will have to spot weight to her four rivals under the handicap conditions of the stakes. Her 126-pound package, most of it via leading rider Juan Hernández, means she is conceding 7-12 pounds. Odds are the others will need the break. Del Mar’s morning-line maker John Lies made Sweet Azteca the 2-5 morning-line favorite.

In her most recent outing, her first in nine months, Sweet Azteca won by 1 1/2 lengths in the 6 1/2-furlong Great Lady M (G2) at Los Alamitos on July 5.

Jaime Renella’s homebred Chismosa, a 5-year-old by Clubhouse Ride, may give Sweet Azteca’s team the most concern. She shows a record of 26: 6-5-5 and a bankroll of $624,750 for her efforts. She will get the saddle services of Kyle Frey, who has been aboard the California-bred in her last three races for trainer Rafael DeLeón.

Formula Rossa, making only her third start, is the X factor in the lineup. By the Candy Ride stallion Vekoma, the chestnut filly has been a daylight winner of her two outings so far, one against straight maidens and the other in an allowance test. She will be ridden by Antonio Fresu and runs out of the barn of trainer Mark Glatt.

The Rancho Bernardo is carded as the second of nine races and is scheduled to start at 5:31 p.m. EDT. The first post at Del Mar is at 5 p.m.