War Like Goddess Up In Final Jump To Beat Always Shopping In Orchid

George Krikorian's English Channel  filly War Like Goddess came with a relentless run through the stretch and nailed even-money favorite Always Shopping on the wire for a thrilling nose triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 57th running of the 1 3/8-mile Orchid for fillies and mares 4 and up on turf was the ninth of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $1.85 million on a blockbuster 14-race program, immediately preceding the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, one of the country's premier Triple Crown preps.

War Like Goddess ($13.20), making just her fourth career start, gave Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and jockey Julien Leparoux their third win on the program. Mott also won the Cutler Bay with Annex while Leparoux previously won the Pan American (G2) with Churn N Burn.

Unlike Churn N Burn, who won the Pan American on the front end, Leparoux settled War Like Goddess far back in the Orchid, ahead of only one horse as 18-1 long shot Sister Hanan took the nine-horse field through splits of 23.93 seconds, 48.55 and 1:13.83. While Always Shopping ranged up to take the lead entering the stretch, Leparoux tipped War Like Goddess out to the center of the track to make her run, closing furiously to get up in 2:12.34 over a firm course.

Always Shopping, a graded-stakes winner on dirt and turf, was a tough-luck second attempting to give jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. his Championship Meet-record 137th victory. Sorrel, racing first time in North America, was third.

Leparoux was winning the Orchid for the first time, while Mott earned his fourth Orchid triumph following Dress Rehearsal (2016), Crockadore (1992) and Gaily Gaily (1989).

$100,000 Orchid (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Bill Mott (War Like Goddess): “Timing was important there. She just got up in the last jump. I just told [jockey] Julien [Leparoux] to let her get her feet under her and make a run. I kept it simple.”

Winning jockey Julien Leparoux (War Like Goddess): “Just in time. I didn't know if I got it or not at the wire. No matter what happened, she ran good. I'm glad I got the win. She's the kind of filly who comes from behind, so on this track you have to worry about that a little bit, but she had a nice kick at the end so she made it fun.”

“I think he probably needed one last time, but today she felt really good, awake before the race. She was traveling throughout the race the whole time and I was happy where I was. I know I was coming very fast to Irad [Ortiz Jr., aboard Always Shopping], but it was a matter of if I had time or not. She was running very hard at the end. She's a nice filly. She's won three races out of four and I think she can improve.”

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Constitution’s Annex Remains Unbeaten in Cutler Bay

Annex took his record to three-for-three with his second straight stakes victory in Gulfstream's Cutler Bay S. Rallying to victory in his career bow over course and distance Jan. 16, the 'TDN Rising Star' captured the Palm Beach S. in Hallandale next out Feb. 27 and was favored to repeat here. Sitting a bit closer to the pace in a joint fourth, the flashy chestnut raced off the fence through a :24.06 opening quarter and :47.78 half-mile. Swung out three wide turning for home, the even-money favorite surged up alongside Fulmini and It Can Be Done in late stretch and out-boxed those foes to the wire for a narrow success.

“It's always a special to race for Mr. Mott,” said winning rider Junior Alvarado. “He lets you do what you think is right in a race. Today, there wasn't much pace on paper. He broke good. He put himself in a good spot and I wasn't going to take anything away from him. After that, I just kept picking it up little by little. He's still very green, which makes my job a little challenging, but he got it done.”

The winner's dam You Make Me Sing is a half-sister to MGISW and multi-millionaire You (You and I), who produced GSW You and I Forever (A.P. Indy) and SW & GSP Causeway's Kin (Giant's Causeway). She produced an Honor Code colt in 2019 and a filly by that sire in 2020. She was bred back to Mitole. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

CUTLER BAY S., $100,000, Gulfstream, 3-27, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.33, fm.
1–ANNEX, 120, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: You Make Me Sing, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Our Dani, by Homebuilder
                3rd Dam: Lovely Briar, by Briartic
($65,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-LNJ Foxwoods and Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners; B-William Harrigan & Mike
Pietrangelo (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $60,140.
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $144,280. 'TDN Rising Star'
2–Fulmini, 118, c, 3, Overdriven–Gina's Kitten, by Kitten's Joy.
O-Bell Racing, LLC; B-Gina D'Amato (FL); T-Carlos A. David.
$19,400.
3–It Can Be Done, 120, g, 3, Temple City–Gotham City Girl, by
Freud. O/B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco. $9,700.
Margins: NK, NO, 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 29.60, 12.70.
Also Ran: Lucky Law (Ire), Hyperfocus, King of Dreams, Fighting Force, Step Dancer. Scratched: Whatmakessammyrun.

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Churn N Burn Wins Stakes Debut, Wiring Pan American Field On Turf

Lothenbach Stables, Inc.'s Churn N Burn, making his just his 10th career start and first in a stakes, was left alone on the lead and had plenty left to turn back all challengers and win Saturday's $200,000 Pan American (G2) presented by Rood & Riddle at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., by 2 ½ lengths.

The 60th running of the 1 ½-mile Pan American for 4-year-olds and up on turf was the sixth of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $1.85 million on a blockbuster 14-race program anchored by the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, one of the country's premier Triple Crown preps.

Churn N Burn, a gelded 4-year-old son of multiple Grade 1 dirt winner Liam's Map, gave jockey Julien Leparoux his third career Pan American win, following Sadler's Joy (2017) and Newsdad (2012). Trainer Ian Wilkes previously won the race with Bearpath in 2010.

The winning time was 2:23.63 over a firm course.

Leparoux was able to maneuver Churn N Burn to the lead from outermost Post 8 and settle into comfortable fractions of :24.07, :48.25 and 1:12.55, with 90-1 long shot Angelus Warrior and 8-5 favorite Cross Border in closest pursuit, the latter saving ground inside. Sadler's Joy and jockey Jose Ortiz began to roll on the far outside around the turn to get into a contending position, but Churn N Burn dug in through the lane once set down to earn his second straight win over the Gulfstream turf. Last out, he captured a one-mile optional claimer by 3 ¾ lengths Feb. 11.

Dueling Grounds Derby winner Moon Over Miami, exiting a third in the Mac Diarmida (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream, got up to be second over Cross Border, most recently third in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 23. Grade 1-winning multi-millionaire Sadler's Joy was fourth, with 30-1 long shot Sir Sahib fifth.

Churn N Burn, purchased as a yearling for $255,000 at Saratoga in 2018, has a record of 3-2-2 from 10 lifetime starts. The winner's share of $120,280 nearly doubled his career bankroll to $250,450.

$200,000 Pan American (G2) Presented by Rood & Riddle Quotes

Winning trainer Ian Wilkes (Churn N Burn): “He's got a high cruising speed, and especially on this track, he can carry it a little and run a little quicker and keep on going.”

“I was actually glad no one went with him. He was on his own, so that was good. I was very happy.”

“I'll see how he comes out. We may look at a race at Keeneland; if not, we'll look at something else. First thing, we'll check that he's OK. Enjoy today and then we'll have a look at it.”

“It's good, and it's great for [owner] Bob Lothenbach, too. He puts a lot of money into the game and it's well-deserved.”

Winning jockey Julien Leparoux (Churn N Burn): “That was a nice win. We tried to be on the lead and get him to relax, so we were happy with that. The main thing with him is to start get going before they get to you, so I asked him around the three-eighths pole and he finished up very strong.”

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Ghostzapper Success A First In Graded Stakes For Eye Of A Jedi, Owner/Trainer Budhoo

Owner/trainer Steve Budhoo's Eye of a Jedi, who has beaten his share of graded-stakes winners, ran the race of his life in Saturday's $100,000 Ghostzapper (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., to win the first graded stakes of his career.

The Ghostzapper. a 1 1/8-mile race for older horses, was one of 10 stakes on a 14-race program featuring 10 stakes and headlined by the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa.

Already graded stakes-placed twice during the Championship Meet, Eye of a Jedi ($10.40) defeated favored Last Judgment by 5 ½ lengths while running the 1 1/8-miles in 1:48.83 and rewarding Budhoo with his first graded-stakes success.

Ridden for the first time by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the hard-knocking 6-year-old gelding was rated off a hotly contested pace set by Last Judgment and pressed by Superfecto during fractions of 23.60 and 46/43 seconds for the first half-mile. Castellano asked Eye of a Jedi for some run, and the son of Eye of a Leopard advanced steadily on the far turn to enter contention on the turn into the homestretch. Mike Maker-trained Last Judgement continued to show the way at the top of the stretch but proved no match for the fresher legs of Eye of a Jedi, who drew away to a comfortable victory.

Last Judgment, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Jose Ortiz, held second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Superfecto and jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Eye of the Jedi, who finished second behind Tax in the Dec. 12 Harlan's Holiday (G3) and lost a photo in the Jan. 23 Fred W. Hooper (G3), was coming off a fourth-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2).

Ghostzapper Quotes

Winning Owner/Trainer Steve Budhoo (Eye of a Jedi): “I love to train him for this track, because he loves this track. I had an invitation to go to Dubai for the [Godolphin] Mile, but because of the coronavirus, I said, 'I'll stay here.' I'm happy I did.”

“The good thing is sound. He's a very good horse.”

Winning Jockey Javier Castellano, Eye of a Jedi): “I'm really excited. Steve [Budhoo] is a great guy. He works hard. He's dedicated to every single one of his horses. It's nice to see good things happen for the little people. They make racing. I'm very lucky to ride this horse and win the race.”

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