How to bet the Rancho Bernardo Stakes

The surging #5 Sweet Azteca is the clear one to beat in Sunday’s $100,000 Rancho Bernardo H. (G3) at Del Mar. While she will tote a highweight of 126 pounds, the excellent four-year-old is difficult to go against in the 6 1/2-furlong dash on the main oval. 

Rancho Bernardo Wagers

• $30 exacta 5 with 2 ($30)
• $10 exacta 5 with 7 ($10)

Trained by Mike McCarthy, the four-year-old is once-beaten in her lifetime and was a stylish winner of the Great Lady M (G2) in her latest showing. The daughter of Sharp Azteca proved her class in taking the Beholder Mile S. (G1) over the brilliant Adare Manor in March, and her best race is surely good enough to take down this field. She has big early foot but doesn’t need the lead to win, and the Pamela Ziebarth homebred has been training in rapid fashion in advance of her first run on the course.

Sweet Azteca has improved her Brisnet Speed figure in three straight and is among the top female sprint ladies in training. I expect her to take the race to her foes in the early going prior to opening up a comfortable edge inside the final furlong. Flavien Prat coming in to guide the star is a major positive. 

The race for second should come down to a pair of fillies. 

#2 Chismosa, who has the best upset chance in the group, sports a nifty 5-3-1-0 mark at Del Mar, and she also has the best turn of foot in the lane. The Clubhouse Ride four-year-old had little chance with the favorite at Los Alamitos in her most recent endeavor, but she displayed her own measure of class with a late-running score in the Desert Stormer S. at Santa Anita two back. The Grade 3 vixen will save ground early and make one run late with Tiago Pereira in the controls. 

#7 Anywho has been unplaced in her four stakes tries to date, but the inconsistent lass runs for a red-hot conditioner, John Sadler, at the meet and also received a nice draw on the outside of the group. The Bolt d’Oro four-year-old is quite capable on her best day, and she possesses the tactical speed to keep in touch with the favorite to the top of the lane. I expect her to track the pace from third or fourth early and to move into a top-three slot in the lane with top gun Juan Hernandez in the silks.