Thors Echo Stakes ($100.00 Purse)
SA- For Three Year Olds and Upward Foaled in CA
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
May 23, 2026

On Saturday at SA, we will have eleventh running of the Thors Echo Stakes, which is a six-furlong sprint for CA-Breds, with a $100.00 purse that has been consistent over that time. Last year’s race was won by Barista, for Santan Stables. That gelding has not won again, but has consistently been hitting the board, so that may be due to change soon. For this year’s race, seven will be taking part, and here’s a look at them!

1- Mamba (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J Laprida)- The six-year-old gelding has made over $800.00 over his 36-race career, and he can thank consistent, in the money finishes for that. He’d be over $1,000.00 if he won a little more though, having done so only four times and none since January 2025. He may be in a good spot to get that win, here, as long as he can bounce back from his last start.

2- Brooklyn Bash (First Flight Stable, ridden by K Kimura)- You may remember Brooklyn Bash running in both the KYD and the PRK last year and he did run well for a little while after that. He’s gone back and both between sprinting and going long and it’s hard for me to tell what he may be better at. What is easy to notice are his excellent works in anticipation of this as he, like Mamba, hopes to win for the first time since January 2025.

3- The Tim Dillon Show (Patterson Stables, ridden by H I Berrios)- Unlike the previous two, this colt has won since January 2025, and in fact he did so in his last start. That exciting victory came at, well, a $5.00 N1X allowance at FP. He did well in maiden races for bigger purses, and if he is a growing horse, there’s no reason to think he can’t take down this field. Maybe that shadow roll is working wonders.

4- Hard Worker (The Sidley Stud, ridden by V Del-Cid)- In 17 starts, Hard Worker has three wins while also hitting the board 13 times. He’s been in all sorts of different races: dirt, turf, sprint, route over his last six. Ran third in the $50.00 Elite Sprint Cup at FON last time out, and those fair track stakes are as competitive as many ungraded stakes anywhere else. Second here on the grass two back in the Sensational Star Stakes, for CA-Breds.

5- Bowser (Night Rider Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- Makes his debut for Night Rider Stables here after the trainer claimed him for $20.00 last month. You have to go back to 2024 to find his best run of form, where he won five out of seven races, which were all dirt sprints for Riggins Racing. His previous trainer changed that up to the turf, and he has not been back to the winner’s circle since. Night Rider goes back to what worked for Riggins in this one.

6- Bend The Knee (Avenue Z, ridden by U Rispoli)- Looks to win his third race in a row, but this is a long way from BTP and FON allowances, which is where those previous two wins came from. Or maybe he’s just another example of why fair track racing has become so much tougher recently. Goes without saying that this is biggest test to date, and someone should also look into that SRF from his last race. Seems way too low.

7- Mr Cockypants (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by J J Hernandez)- I’m not going to be Mister Cockypants over Mr Cockypants, but if this gelding races his race, he’ll be in the winner’s circle. Last time out, he won a $94.00 allowance at KEE at seven furlongs, has consistently been able to hit the board in long sprints. My only concern about him is whether or not six is a little too short for him, especially considering his running style, but La Canada Racehorses will have that figured out. He’s also firing nothing but bullets in workouts lately.

Prediction: 7-1-2-3

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded