ARCADIA, Calif. (May 24, 2025) – With odds-on favorite Book Smart and Tapatio Leo tiring from a duel up front, Private Gem slipped through along the rail at the top of the stretch and won Saturday’s $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes for Golden State Series eligibles at Santa Anita.
Private Gem, the 5-2 second choice, is by Lookin At Lucky, out of the Unusual Heat mare Geode, was bred by C-Punch Ranch, is owned by Saints or Sinners and trained by Mark Glatt.
“I think he had a really nice set up,” said Glatt. “We were hoping that somebody would go with Book Smart because when he shakes loose on the lead he is hard to beat. We got lucky they went fast and he had to unhook that Book Smart. Umberto (Rispoli) rode a perfect race, saved the ground and they floated off the turn a little to continue to save ground. I think he got to goofing around a little in the stretch, but he ran well.
“Any time these Cal-breds stakes come along it is nice to have a horse that is just as good on the dual surfaces. After today I’m not so sure he isn’t better on the dirt. He runs well either way and is just a really hard-trying horse and obviously has some talent to go along with it.”
Private Gem has four wins in five starts, earnings of $175,090 and ran his win streak to three. He ran the six furlongs in 1:09.71 and won by 3 ½ lengths over Final Storm, with Book Smart third in a field of six, and Tapatio Leo fading to last.
“I thought we were in a good spot no matter if someone went with Book Smart or not,” said Rispoli. “He really responded on the turn. He was traveling really well on the turn and I was waiting to see what Mike (Smith, on Book Smart) was going to do. Once the rail opened up, we took off.”
Private Gem is now a perfect 3-for-3 since returning from a 15 ½-month layoff in late February. Both of his previous wins came sprinting on turf.
“Too fast, way too fast,” said Smith, who clicked off fractions of :21.69 and 44.51 with Book Smart in the first two quarters. “He puts a lot into his races, kind of shows that on his form. Hard to put three or four of those in a row when you’re that fast.”
