Churn N Burn, War Like Goddess, Annex come up winners

Three turf stakes were among the attractions leading into the Florida Derby on the blockbuster Saturday card at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. All were contested over firm going, with jockey Julien Leparoux employing dramatically different tactics in accounting for both marathons for older horses, the Pan American and Orchid.

Churn N Burn ($13) wins Pan Am

On the lead from the opening bell, Churn N Burn coasted home a front-running 2 1/2-length winner of the Grade 2, $200,000 Pan American in the first graded stakes attempt of his career.

With Leparoux carefully doling out his speed, Churn N Burn returned $13 as fifth choice in a field of eight older horses, finishing the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:23.63. The 4-year-old Liam’s Map gelding won just one of his first eight races, but he now has won his last two, with his prior start resulting in a first-level allowance romp on Feb. 11, also going 12 furlongs over the Gulfstream turf.

Churn N Burn got a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for the Pan American.

:: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Gulfstream Park Clocker Report

Moon Over Miami was along late to get second by three-quarters of a length over Cross Border, the 8-5 favorite. Sadler’s Joy, closer than normal to the leaders with a half-mile to run, did not have his usual closing punch when settling for fourth.

Ian Wilkes trains Churn N Burn for the Lothenbach Stables of Bob Lothenbach, who purchased the chestnut gelding for $255,000 as a yearling.

“I was actually glad no one went with him early,” Wilkes said. “He’s got a high cruising speed and he was doing everything on his own. This is great for Bob Lothenbach. He deserves this.”

Wilkes said the Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 17 at Keeneland is a potential next spot for Churn N Burn.

War Like Goddess ($13.20) up in Orchid

In direct contrast to the Pan Am, Leparoux and War Like Goddess rallied from well behind when nailing the even-money favorite, Always Shopping, in the final jump of the Grade 3, $100,000 Orchid.

War Like Goddess, a 4-year-old English Channel filly owned by George Krikorian, gave trainer Bill Mott his third win on the 14-race card by finishing the 1 3/8-mile distance in 2:12.34. It was her third win in four career starts, and her first in a stakes, as well as being the second stakes winner on the card for her Hall of Fame trainer, following Annex in the Cutler Bay two races earlier.

Always Shopping, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., had assumed command with authority at the furlong grounds and appeared to be home free, but the furious run by War Like Goddess was “just in time,” Leparoux said. “She had a nice kick in the end and made it fun. I knew I was coming very fast to Irad, but I didn’t know if I could get there in time or not.”

Sorrel, the 7-2 second choice in a field of nine fillies and mares, was along belatedly to be third when making her North American debut.

War Like Goddess, bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, paid $13.20 as third choice, and got a 96 Beyer Speed Figure. She becomes a prime candidate to run back in the Grade 3 Bewitch on April 23, closing day of the Keeneland spring meet.

Annex ($4.20) annexes Cutler Bay

Annex remained unbeaten in three career starts by prevailing as a decisive favorite in a three-way photo in the $100,000 Cutler Bay.

All-out during a frantic stretch run, Annex and jockey Junior Alvarado were able to nudge ahead of a couple of longshots just before the wire. The win margin for the big-blazed chestnut colt in the one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds was a neck, with Fulmini (29-1) getting second by a nose over It Can Be Done (12-1). The winner returned $4.20 after finishing in 1:34.33.

Mott trains Annex for the partnership of LNJ Foxwoods and Eclipse Thoroughbreds. The son of Constitution won his Jan. 16 debut versus maidens, then came back to win the Feb. 27 Palm Beach. All three of his starts have come over the Gulfstream turf.

“There wasn’t much pace on paper,” Alvarado said. “He broke good and put himself in a good spot, and I wasn’t going to take anything away from him. He’s still very green, which made my job a little challenging there, but he got the job done.”