Los Al: Sweet Azteca brings Grade 1 résumé to Great Lady M

Sweet Azteca, who defeated multiple graded-stakes winner Adare Manor in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile this year, will make her Los Alamitos debut when she takes on nine other fillies and mares in the $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

A Grade 2 test at 6 1/2 furlongs, the Great Lady M is the last of nine races on the next-to-last day of the current meet. The approximate post time for the main event is 8:05 p.m. EDT.

Click here for Los Alamitos entries and results.

Owned by breeder Pamela Ziebarth and trained by Michael McCarthy, Sweet Azteca has been away since that gate-to-wire triumph in the Beholder Mile on March 9. The 4-year-old Sharp Azteca filly out of the Grand Slam mare So Sweeitiz earned the score in her first venture beyond 6 1/2 furlongs. The win was her third in four starts and increased her earnings to $301,200.

The layoff entering the Great Lady M should not be a concern as she is proven fresh. Sweet Azteca won her debut May 2, 2023, at Churchill Downs.

McCarthy also entered Three Witches, who returns to California after finishing seventh of 10 in the Derby City Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4.

Owned by Zhang Yuesheng, the 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief and the Tale of the Cat mare Layreebelle is 4-for-10 with earnings of $427,970. Two of her four victories have come in graded events. She won the Santa Monica (G2) on Feb. 3 at Santa Anita after capturing the Princess Rooney (G3) on Oct. 7 at Gulfstream Park when she was trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.

Owned by a partnership that includes Jethorse, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber and trained by Peter Miller, Daddysruby is a 4-year-old gray daughter of Frac Daddy and the You and I mare Youtheprizeandi. She earned her signature win in the La Brea (G1) in her graded-stakes debut, prevailing by a nose over Big Pond on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

The Great Lady M will be the first start for Daddysruby since she was second in the Matron on March 30 at Oaklawn. She is 5-for-8 with earnings of $410,264.

The runner-up in this race a year ago when she was defeated by a neck by Eda when 19-1, Chismosa will be trying for consecutive stakes wins for owner-breeder Jaime Renella and trainer Rafael DeLeon. The 4-year-old Clubhouse Ride filly out of the Cat Dreams mare You Can Dream captured the Desert Stormer last month at Santa Anita.

The victory over South America import Richi and four others was the fifth in 18 starts for Chismosa and pushed her bankroll to $501,750.

Trainer John Sadler, who won the Great Lady M three times at Hollywood Park when the race was known as the A Gleam Handicap, will be represented by Anywho. His A Gleam wins came with Switch Dearest Trickski in 2008, Evita Argentina in 2009 and Switch in 2012.

Owned by Hronis Racing, the 4-year-old Bolt d’Oro filly out of the Zensational mare Fancy and Flashy was the beaten favorite in the Desert Stormer, winding up fourth at 6-5. She has won 3 of 7 and earned $207,670. She is seeking her first stakes victory.

Owned by R Unicorn Stable and trained by Phil D’Amato, Super Shine will cut back in distance in search of her first victory in the U.S.

A distant fourth in the Santa Margarita (G2) at 1 1/8 miles behind Adare Manor May 26, Super Shine is a 5-year-old Super Saver mare out of the Southern Halo mare Sunshine Allie. She broke her maiden going seven furlongs in her native Argentina June 10, 2022.

In a career that has seen her win 4 of 12 and bank $156,531, she has since never run less than one mile. She was a multiple group winner in Argentina with two of the scores coming on turf.

Olivia Twist, who has competed primarily in Arkansas and Oklahoma, will return to California for trainer Todd Fincher for the first time since finishing sixth in the San Clemente (G2) on the Del Mar turf last July 22.

Owned by Brad King, Randy Andrews, Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis,  the 4-year-old daughter of Mshawish and the War Chant mare Twinkling has won 4 of 10 and banked $204,829. She is only 1-for-7 since starting her career with three wins by a combined 19 1/4 lengths at Remington Park in 2022.

Well beaten in her three most recent starts, Yuki returns to the scene of her latest win for owner-breeder Haras Lizzie and trainer Amador Sanchez.

The 5-year-old Chile bred mare led from gate to wire going a mile in the Dark Mirage at Los Alamitos on Sept. 23. The daughter of The Lumber Guy and the Distorted Economy mare Dona Milly has won 5 of 17 and earned $187,705.

After three consecutive races on turf, Getthemoney moves to the dirt for owners Alan Klein, Phil Lebherz and Janet Lyons and for trainer Brian Koriner.

A Midnight Lute filly out of the Bernstein mare Sailing Shiksa, the 4-year-old has won twice in seven starts and banked $141,940.

Already a four-time winner in 2024, Irish Wahine will get a class test in her graded-stakes debut for GMT Racing Stables and trainer Librado Barocio. A gray daughter of Grazen and the Broken Vow mare Irish Winnie, the 5-year-old has won four of her last five outings and 11-for-25 overall with earnings of $283,456.

Irish Wahine is also partial to Los Alamitos, winning 3 of 4 over the daytime oval, most recently capturing a starter allowance at six furlongs during the 2023 winter meet.