Sibelius On Track for Dubai Golden Shaheen Defense

Last year's Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) hero Sibelius , a commanding winner of the Dec. 23 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) last out, remains on track for another run at Meydan.

Sibelius also had been nominated to the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, to be held for Feb. 24 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, but the connections will instead prep for Dubai in South Florida—following the same path as 2023. Last year's Riyadh Dirt Sprint was won by United States-based runner Elite Power   in 2023.

"We nominated (Sibelius) for Saudi just as a precautionary plan but our main plan is to go back to the Pelican (Stakes) at Tampa Feb. 10 and hopefully go back to Dubai in March," trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer said. "I think everything we did last year worked out perfect so we wouldn't want to be changing anything.

"Last year the Pelican was six weeks from Dubai and this year it's seven weeks. And the same thing with the Mr. Prospector, which last year was six weeks to the Pelican and this year will be seven. It's just those little things to take into consideration with these higher-end horses. The six-seven weeks is fine by me. We're just trying to pick the right prep timing-wise to get him there at his peak."

Sibelius, owned in partnership by Jun Park and Delia Nash, posted decisive victories in the 2022 Mr. Prospector and 2023 Pelican Stakes en route to his Golden Shaheen triumph. Following his Dubai glory, the 6-year-old son of Not This Time   struggled to regain his early season form, and failed to hit the board in three consecutive efforts. However, the blaze-faced gelding found his former spark in the Mr. Prospector, rocketing to a four-length score at Gulfstream Park.

"He came out of the race super; he looks fantastic," O'Dwyer said. "He's gotten to go to his round pen here every day for a roll and play. He's a happy horse.

"It meant a lot for him to win that race. I think coming back from Dubai just took more out of him than we anticipated. His last run in Kentucky (fifth in the Phoenix Stakes, G2, at Keeneland) wasn't bad, he ran a good number but he looked like his old self in the Mr. Prospector."

Sibelius earned a 97 Equibase Speed Figure in winning the Dec. 23 Mr. Prospector. That 97 exactly matches the number he earned in that race in December 2022.

Dwyer, who is often astride Sibelius in the mornings at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla., has kept the gelding on a light schedule in between his races before he returns to the work tab.

"It's just a matter of listening to the horse and letting him do the talking," O'Dwyer said. "He's telling us how much work he needs, he's telling us when he's ready.

"He's got three works marked out on his calendar before the Pelican. The 24th will be his first scheduled work back."

The $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen is scheduled for the March 30 Dubai World Cup evening card.