Queen Azteca has Another Road Game in Allaire du Pont

Seventh Straight Start at Different Track for Team Valor Filly

LAUREL, MD – Queen Azteca is hitting the road. Again.

That’s nothing new for the 4-year-old filly, who is trained by Rodolphe Brisset and owned by Team Valor International.

The daughter of Sweet Azteca will be making her seventh straight start at a different racetrack Friday at Laurel Park, where Queen Azteca takes on seven others in the $125,000 Allaire du Pont Distaff at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares aged 3 and up.

In her last six races, she has run at Saratoga [fifth in the Alabama (G1)], Aqueduct [sixth in Mother Goose (G2)], Oaklawn Park [second in the Pippin], Sam Houston [sixth in the Houston Lady Classic (G3)], Colonial Downs [second in the Sandy Bottom] and Keeneland [won an allowance].

“She does have a lot of miles in her,” Brisset said. “On the racetrack and in the air. For what we are trying to do with her, we have to put her on a van quite often to find the best spot to win a stakes race.”

Queen Azteca came into Brisset’s barn after she ran in last summer’s Alabama. Before that, she was in the care of champion European trainer Niels Petersen and Queen Azteca ran at tracks in Sweden and Dubai.

Team Valor International CEO Barry Irwin announced the purchase of Queen Azteca last July.

Brisset has been impressed with the filly, who was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm LLC.

In her last race, the allowance at Keeneland, she went gate to wire to win the 1 1/16-mile race by a length under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Flavien Prat will ride Queen Azteca Friday.

“She has shown she can go seven-eighths to 1 3/8 miles,” Brisset said. “She can stalk; she has been on the lead. I have liked what I have seen from her in her last three races.”

Also entered in the du Pont is the Brad Cox-trained Margie’s Intention, who has three wins, four seconds and two thirds in 10 career starts. She is owned by Delta Squad Racing LLC, Michael Dubb and Madaket Stables LLC.

Last year, she won the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico, was second in Delaware Oaks (G3) and third in the Alabama and Beldame (G2).

In her first start this season, she finished second in the Shantel Lanerie Memorial at Fair Grounds.

Waveless, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and owned by Repole Stable, comes into the du Pont with two wins and two seconds in five career starts. This will be the first stakes race for the 4-year-old daughter of Gun Runner.

“For sure, this will be her toughest test,” Pletcher said. “She seems to be an improving filly, and we are hoping to pick up some black type with her.”

Waveless will be ridden for the first time by Jose Ortiz. She has a win and two seconds in four starts this year. She does own a win and a second at the du Pont distance.

“Timing wise, we thought this race fit,” Pletcher said. “It’s in between the Churchill races and the Saratoga races and maybe won’t draw the absolute top-level fillies.”

The du Pont field also includes Low Country Music, who has three wins, two seconds and four thirds in 15 career starts; Late Nite Call, for Laurel-based trainer Niall Saville, who is removing the blinkers for this start; multiple stakes winner Complexity Jane, the beaten favorite in both her starts this year for trainer Brittany Russell; Too Many Kisses, who has made all 17 of her starts at Laurel [five wins, four seconds, three thirds]; and Parx shipper Ourdaydreaminggirl, 0-for-3 this year but third in last year’s Cotillion (G1) at Parx and Comely (G3) at Aqueduct.