Private Thoughts Draws Off to Win St. Augustine Overnight Handicap
Florida-bred Private Thoughts and jockey Tyler Gaffalione came from mid-pack to challenge pace-setting leader Prevent and longshot Brawn around the far turn then spurted clear in the stretch to win the $100,000 St. Augustine overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Owned by trainer Ronald B. Spatz with David S. Romanik, Private Thoughts was the best of eight 3-year-olds and older who went a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the all-weather course.
Florida-bred Prevent, who was trying to duplicate his half-length victory ahead of runner-up Private Thoughts in the $100,000 Sabal Palm overnight handicap at Gulfstream on Nov. 29, was sent immediately to the front from the outside post by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. They raced with a clear lead through quarter-mile splits
So proud of this horse, Private Thoughts. He is the mark of consistency.
A nice gate to Wire wind today for the lovely Musical Design and my new client Etarip stable.
That horse is sure consistent! It was my first win with her after several placings.
Private Thoughts looks to build on success in Empire Builder
In September 2023, trainer Ron Spatz watched Private Thoughts make his debut and knew he had a live runner. The juvenile was clearly green and probably wasn’t staying on dirt for long, but Spatz was still impressed when he overcame a slow start to bull through the field and win by 2 1/4 lengths.
“In hindsight, it was probably an accident that he won first time out,” Spatz said.
That’s three in a row off the layoff for Private thoughts and his first stakes win, great ride by Leonel Reyes yet again
Private Thoughts back-to-back wins off the 9-month layoff!!
By Tandra Downs
Private Thoughts back-to-back wins off the 9 month layoff!!
Boombox Betty finally got her $#*! together and broke her maiden in a romp.
A Florida Breeder’s Perspective by Tandra Downs
Let’s Dance Again is in the best form of her career. More improvement wouldn’t surprise me.
A Saint She Ain’t wins her second lifetime start on the dirt.
Lady Backtalk wins her first start on the synthetic.
Private Thoughts gets the win off of a nine month layoff. Super race, super ride, by Leonel Reyes
Attorney David Romanik and his trainer, Ron Spatz, have enjoyed great success in recent seasons with runners sired by stallions from Pleasant Acres. On Friday, they made a $25,800 score at Gulfstream Park with Private Thoughts, a 4-year-old gelding by Neolithic who also earned a healthy breeders’ award for Joe and Helen Barbazon.
Romanik and Spatz purchased Private Thoughts for a bargain $11,000 at the 2023 OBS March sale and he has now earned $187,574.
A very nice win. First time on synthetic surface for Majustify. Appears she likes it.
Flat Top Box wins a squeaker, great ride by Reyes!
Nice ride by the apprentice jockey, Yolber Torres, for the win!
Most Handsome wires the field in the Roar Stakes with his favorite jockey Emisael Jaramillo!
Flat Top Box does it again! Wins two of this last three starts.
Jockey Jaramillo took it right to them from the start.
Lots of upside to this Filly wins of the
long layoff.
The Ronald Spatz-trained son of Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister will be running for a portion of the $15,000 in Florida-bred bonus money included in the purse and presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Flat Top Box was in tune today, played that field like a fiddle.
Fontina comes off an eight month layoff for the score!
Come Dream With Me wins right back off the maiden victory!!
Win With Faith from last
for 2 wins in a row
Peppermint Man wins his maiden race second time out and first time around two turns.
Come Dream With Me scores his first win!
Excellent start and first time top finish for Boots on the Moon
Another maiden win first time in my barn for owner, Laura Murphy!
Florida-bred Fillies Take to Tapeta in Juvenile Fillies
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred fillies will be going head-to-head over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta Saturday in the $60,000 Juvenile Fillies, co-featured with $60,000 Juveniles. Both races will be run at a mile-and-70 yards and will each offer an additional $15,000 to the winners presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association if they are eligible for the rich Florida Sire Stakes program.
The FHBPA wishes to congratulate Trainer, and FHBPA Board Member, Ron Spatz on posting his 800th career win when his 2yo Filly “I Get It” bested the boys in last Sunday’s allowance race. Ron has amassed a record of 800-758-727 since he saddled winner #1 named Fast Change on 12/23/1982 at Calder.
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Thoroughbred Winners
Currently Ron has over 784 career wins and made over 16 million in purse earnings. Some of his early successes include Carterista, a Florida bred Turf Champion, grass horse who won most of the major stake races in Florida, After the early successes of Carterista, whose career ended with 27 wins out of 102 starts included graded stakes wins.
First starter at GPW a winner, Frank Alone
Congrats Monarch stable!
- Redoubled Miss was another of Ron’s early successes. She had earnings of $629,839 and is a multiple Graded Stakes Place winner. She was retired at the end of her racing career to be a broodmare.