Private Thoughts notches third straight. (Lauren King)
Trainers Arscott, Pulgarin Register First Winners Saturday
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $50,000
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – David Romanik and trainer Ron Spatz’s Private Thoughts took full advantage of a perfect trip to score a narrow victory in the $70,000 Jet Propulsion at Gulfstream Park.
While holding off a late charge by Relampago Verde by a head, the 4-year-old gelded son of Neolithic won his third straight victory since coming off an eight-month layoff.
“He had a few minor issues. We took care of them, and he came back fresh,” Spatz said. “It’s in the history books now – three in a row. It’s awesome.”
Private Thoughts ($8.40) broke alertly from the gate to obtain good stalking position behind pacesetter Prevent and presser Tocayo around the first turn and along the backstretch during fractions of 24.04 and 47.61 (seconds) for the first half mile of the 1 1/16-mile overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up that was transferred from turf to Tapeta. Jockey Leonel Reyes asked Private Thoughts for his kick turning for home and the Florida-bred gelding responded to open up a clear lead in the stretch.
Relampago Verde and jockey Miguel Vasquez made is interesting with a late surge, but Private Thoughts held on gamely, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.73.
“The trip was perfect. It went exactly to plan. We knew [Prevent] was the speed. I sat behind them and when I asked him in the stretch, he responded very well,” Reyes said. “Coming to the wire he was waiting a little bit for the other horses, and when he felt the other horses, he started running again.”
Private Thoughts, as well as Relampago Verde, carried 118 pounds, seven fewer than co-highweights Lorenze and Just a Photo, who finished third and fourth respectively. Relampago Verge finished 2 ½ lengths ahead of Lorenze.
Private Thoughts, who won his seventh race from 15 starts, was an $11,000 purchase as the 2023 OBS March sale.
“He was an inexpensive little 2-year-old purchase, and he has certainly stolen my heart,” Spatz said.
Trainers Arscott, Pulgarin Register First Wins Saturday
Ontario-bred 5-year-old gelding Antillean slipped through an opening along the rail at the top of the stretch and outran Guys Trip and 7-5 favorite Song So Sweet to capture Race 6 Saturday at Gulfstream and give owner-trainer Garrett Arscott his first win in the U.S.
Ridden by Wesley Henry, Antillean ($24.80) completed one mile over a fast main track in 1:38.48 to win the claiming event for 3-year-olds and up by 1 ¼ lengths.
It the third U.S. starter for Arscott, all three coming with Antillean since mid-September. The 55-year-old Arscott trained for 10 years at Caymanas Park in Jamaica and previously worked for trainer Gary Contessa before going out on his own.
In Saturday’s Race 11 finale, Celis Stud’s Kalik ($32) came from off the pace to spring a 15-1 upset and give Sebastian Pulgarin his first career training victory.
A 31-year-old native of Columbia, Pulgarin formerly worked for trainer Carlos David. He has eight horses in training and had two seconds and two thirds with seven prior starters.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $50,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated at $50,000 for Sunday’s 10-race program at Gulfstream Park.
First race post time is 12:50 p.m.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday, one day after the jackpot paid out $143,083.80 to one lucky bettor.
In the Rainbow 6, the jackpot pool is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 12. On mandatory payout days, the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the six-race sequence.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 5-10. The feature comes in Race 6, a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds going one mile on the main track that attracted a field of nine led by 2-1 program favorite Hawk. The Arindel homebred drew the far outside post for his second start after running second in debut sprinting six furlongs Sept. 27.
Race 9 is an optional claiming allowance for Florida-bred fillies and mares 3 and up going five furlongs on the all-weather Tapeta course where Be Thankful goes for her third straight win and fourth in nine starts for trainer Jose D’Angelo. Neodera, Greenfield Cougar and Chosen Factor all also come off wins.
There will also be a carryover of $3,001.88 in the $1 Super Hi 5.
Notes … … ….. ….
Jockey Jose Morelos doubled Saturday aboard Magnetic Beach ($11) in Race 1 and It’s Only Words ($8) in Race 7.
