Churn N Burn gets first stakes win in G2 Pan American
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) at Gulfstream Park 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 Florida Derby (G1)a, 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.
“I was actually glad no one went with him,” Wilkes said. “He was on his own, so that was good. I was very happy.”
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 seconds, 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.