Romanik and Spatz strike again with Private Thoughts

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.

Private Thoughts had not raced in nine months, but he broke quickly and Leonel Reyes was able to settle him in comfortably along the inside heading down the backstretch in the race at one mile over the turf course. Reyes shook him up coming to the final turn and the gelding went up for the lead in the lane, then out-gamed even-money favorite Smart Striker by a head at the wire.

The race went in 1:33.27, less than two seconds off the course record and Private Thoughts rewarded his backers with a $9.40 win price. He raised his record to 5-2-2 in 13 starts and received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 94.