Racing Saturday: Sweet Azteca Returns

It’s easy this time of year to turn an eye away from the Southern California circuit: the racing at Los Alamitos is largely filled by lower-level claimers and starter allowance types.  For horseplayers, these races offer us a ton of opportunities to chase longshots.  In the eyes of those looking for high level quality, however, the L.A. County Fair meet is largely one to look past.

The Grade 2 Great Lady M. is a sprint for fillies and mares, and this rendition features a runner going for a 3rd consecutive win in this race: Sweet Azteca, a lightly-raced 6-year-old who will make only her 10th career start.  

Let’s meet the field, and put together our weekly wager.  If you’re wagering in Southern California, be sure to check out AmWager, where they have a deposit match for new customers.

Grade 2 Great Lady M.  6 ½ furlongs, dirt.  Fillies & mares 3+up.  $200,000.

1. Sweet Azteca. 3/5.        Jockey: Armando Ayuso.        Trainer: Richard Baltas.

Sweet Azteca is the obvious class here, a winner of 5 graded stakes in 6 starts.  She’s won this race twice, and should be able to win it against this field with a B+ effort.

2. Magnificat.  8/1.        Jockey: Antonio Fresu.        Trainer: Richard Mandella.

Magnificat is the most likely other winner in the race, despite the morning line.  Her most recent effort in the Desert Stormer should give the connections a ton of confidence.  She’ll have to be faster than she’s been to keep pace with Sweet Azteca, but she’s the most likely if you’re wanting to beat the favorite.

3. Prancingthruparis. 15/1.    Jockey: Edwin Maldonado.        Trainer: Peter Eurton.

The connections of Prancingthruparis clearly think the move from turf to the Los Alamitos surface will be a fruitful one.  This has worked numerous times in the past, so the move from surface to surface shouldn’t be considered a detriment.  I think she’s simply not fast enough to compete in this group.

4. A.Z. Wildcat.  12/1.        Jockey: Hector Berrios.        Trainer: John Sadler.

A. Z. Wildcat is making only her 6th lifetime start, all of them sprinting on dirt.  She broke her maiden here at Los Al in June of 2024, and is running for the third time this year.  She’s an early speed type, and will likely try to be quick out of the gate to win this gate-to-wire.  Jockey Hector Berrios is a solid addition for just that, but I’ll let her beat me here without lasix and against graded company for the first time.

5. Grand Slam Smile. 7/2.    Jockey: Billy Antongeorgi.        Trainer: Sean McCarthy.

Amongst the best Cal-breds running right now, Grand Slam Smile is a logical choice for this spot.  She’s 5-for-9 on dirt, and has won at Los Al over this distance, as well.  She’s a step slower than Sweet Azteca, but if for some reason the favorite doesn’t fire, GSS will be ready.  She’s a solid runner whose best runs have come in state-bred stakes company.

6. A Thousand Miles. 30/1.    Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo.        Trainer: Vann Belvoir.

A Thousand Miles has the same morning line on the paper as I have in my head: I’m at a loss to determine how this filly wins this race.  Her best win was last year in the Zia Park Oaks; her best performances around one turn simply don’t exist.  Perhaps the pace will fall apart and she can pick up the pieces, but her recent form says 6 ½ is far too short.

7. Nooni. 6/1.            Jockey: Ricardo Gonzalez.        Trainer: Bob Baffert.

Nooni is an interesting entry here – and the most likely to scratch, too.  She’s a $1.8M purchase, winning on debut and following it up with a win in the Grade 3 Sorrento.  That was at Del Mar in August of 2024, and she hasn’t won since.  She lost her previous two races by a combined 32 ¼ lengths, proving completely irrelevant in both starts.  I’ll let her beat me here.

The Sporting Tribune Wager:

$2 Late Pick 4, Starts Race 5 ($48):1,5 / 1,2,3,4 / 1 /  3,4,5.  Good Luck!