Big City Lights looms in Thor’s Echo Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday
At 0h43, on May 22, 2026 • By Santa Anita Park
California Gold Rush Day at Santa Anita Park this Saturday features the best horses bred or sired in California competing in five stakes races worth $550,000 in total prize money. The stakes action is part of a deep 10-race program that averages 9.0 starters per race. First post is at 4 p.m.
The Thor’s Echo kicks off the stakes action as the third race on the program. Looming in the lineup is graded stakes winner Big City Lights. Trained by Richard Mandella for owner William R. Peeples, Big City Lights most recently beat open company in a high-level allowance going seven furlongs on May 2. It was the first start in more than five months for the 7-year-old horse by Mr. Big.
Thirsty Rebel, a 3-year-old, most recently was beaten just a nose in the Echo Eddie Stakes for statebreds going 6 ½ furlongs on April 4 at Santa Anita. The winner, Fionello, also returns Saturday in the Snow Chief at 1 1/8 miles on turf later on the card. By Stay Thirsty, Thirsty Rebe is trained by Doug O’Neill for owner Mark D. Breen.
The versatile Lonesome Stew returns to dirt for trainer Mark Glatt and owner Linear Bannasch. A 6-year-old gelding by Grazen, Lonesome Stew most recently returned from a 13-month layoff and won an open allowance sprinting on the hillside turf course. On dirt, Lonesome Stew has a record of 7: 3-2-1
