jeremiah o'dwyer | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sibelius Preps For Golden Shaheen Defense At Palm Meadows

Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time) breezed a half-mile in an easy :49 flat at Palm Meadows the morning of Mar. 5 as he builds up to a defense of his title in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 30.

Trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer was in the irons for the move aboard the 6-year-old, who–like last year–enters the Golden Shaheen after winning the GIII Mr. Prospector S. at Gulfstream Dec. 23 and the Feb. 10 Pelican S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He went very well and he did everything we were looking for,” the conditioner said. “He did a nice half in :49 with a nice gallop out. The track was in good condition after getting some rain the day before. He breezed very nicely and we're very pleased.”

After just outbattling 2022 Golden Shaheen hero Switzerland (Speightstown) and Gunite (Gun Runner) last March, Sibelius failed to shine in three subsequent appearances before bouncing back to his best form this winter.

“It might be this time of year, it might be that the trip over there took a little bit more out of him than we anticipated,” O'Dwyer offered when asked about the gelding's turnaround. “There are so many variables and factors, it's really hard to pinpoint it.”

Tyler Gaffalione rode Sibelius to his neck success in the Pelican, but O'Dwyer has once again enlisted the services of Ryan Moore for this year's Golden Shaheen.

“Ryan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table,” O'Dwyer said. “He leaves no stone unturned, he knows every horse he rides inside and out. He can relate to the trainer and the horse very well. As a friend of mine told me once, I don't think there's a horse that hasn't been born yet that Ryan Moore doesn't suit.”

And how does the 2024 version of Sibelius compare with the one of 12 months back?

“I think he's very similar, I think he's equally as good to how he was this time last year,” O'Dwyer said. “Even Junior Alvarado, he breezed him before he went to Tampa and that's exactly what he said. He said, 'I don't know that he's better than he was last year, but he's just as good.'

“That gives us some confidence. I ride the horse a fair bit myself and I know he's doing great. He's a 6-year-old, he's good and strong. We're in a very good place with him and looking forward to going out to Dubai again. He really seemed to thrive out there, so hopefully he can run his race again this year.”

O'Dwyer has penciled in one more half-mile breeze 'in eight or nine days' time.' Sibelius ships to the desert Mar. 19 and his trainer departs three days later.

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Gulfstream Championship Season Graded Races Ready To Unwrap

A pair of graded stakes races will signal that the Gulfstream Park Championship season is officially underway on Saturday.

First, the GIII Sugar Swirl S. for older females going six furlongs on the main track includes veteran mare Bluefield (Field Commission), who won by a neck against state-breds in a Tampa black-type race Dec. 9.

“She went up to Tampa and it was nice to get a stakes win on her resume at this age,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “She came to us late but she just keeps getting better and better. She's never run back this quick, but she's in good order so I think she should run well. Hopefully she has a good week leading up to it.”

Bluefield will be joined by her new stablemate Intrepid Daydream (Jess's Dream). Purchased privately just last week, the filly rides in on a four-race win streak at the Mid-Atlantic tracks.

Also entered is Napa Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}). The chestnut prepped for this spot when she came from off the pace to win an optional claimer at Churchill Downs Nov. 22. Joining her will be Headland (Paynter), who was third last out in the Garland of Roses S. at Aqueduct Dec. 9, while AMO Racing's SP Olivia Darling (Palace) will look to improve after a fifth-place finish in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in Hallandale Oct. 7.

The other half of the graded stakes Saturday offering is the seven-furlong GIII Mr. Prospector S. for older males. Last year's edition was used as the springboard for Sibelius (Not This Time) as he won three straight, including traveling to Dubai to collect the G1 Golden Shaheen S.

“Maybe it's the time of year where he's best, I don't know,” said trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer. “We'll find out this year. It's going to be his second year in a row trying to take the same path. We're looking forward to it. I couldn't be happier with the horse.”

Sibelius might not have such an easy task ahead with the presence of MGSW Long Range Toddy (Take Charge Indy). After winning both of his starts at Gulfstream over the summer, the 7-year-old returns here with the capability to run this field off their feet.

Trainer Brendan Walsh sends Gilmore (Twirling Candy) back to the post to finish off what could be considered a consistent year for the 3-year-old colt. The gray was the runner-up in the GIII Bayshore S., then was third in both the GII Pat Day Mile S. and GI Woody Stephens S.

An entry who could be a pace factor is AMO Racing's Hurricane J (Nyquist). Formerly under Paulo Lobo's care, the dark bay colt made his first start for Jorge Delgado over the Gulfstream main track against optional claimers and won by 2 3/4 lengths Nov. 19.

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Sibelius To Make U.S. Return In Aristides

Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time), last seen posting a thrilling victory in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 25, will bypass the GII True North S. at Belmont Park June 10 in favor of next weekend's $225,000 Listed Aristides S. at Churchill Downs, trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer said Monday.

“He's stabled here at Keeneland and it's only up the road,” the conditioner told the NYRA press office. “We'll have a look at the race and see what post position we get and how the race is shaping up. If we like what we've got we'll run him there, but we'll still keep the True North in mind.”

Since defeating defending champion Switzerland (Speightstown) on Dubai World Cup night, Sibelius has breezed three times at Keeneland, including a leisurely half-mile in :50 flat with O'Dwyer in the saddle May 27.

“He's a fun horse to ride. I just wanted a smooth, relaxed breeze. If you put certain riders on him, he'll roll in :46 every time on the bridle if you let him,” O'Dwyer said. “I let him have a nice gallop out and get a bit of air in his lungs. We know he's a very fast horse, but we wanted to make sure that foundation is still underneath him.”

O'Dwyer said Sibelius, who gained something of a cult following during his time in the Emirates, has recovered nicely from the journey.

“He's done great. We gave him some time off and let him relax and put all his weight back on,” O'Dwyer said. “We jogged him at Keeneland for a week and he was jumping out of his skin, so he went back to galloping. He's had three breezes since and his fitness level is good and his energy level is good. He's bright, happy and content. That's all we want. Happy horses run for you and he seems pretty happy right now.”

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Sibelius Neutralizes Switzerland In Golden Shaheen Thriller

The connections of SIBELIUS (g, 5, Not This Time–Fiery Pulpit, by Pulpit) have enjoyed themselves as much or more than anyone in the build-up to the Dubai World Cup program and as night began to fall over Meydan Saturday, the chestnut just kept coming up the fence beneath Ryan Moore and dropped his head on the wire just ahead of defending champion Switzerland (Speightstown) to take the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel. Drawn the fence and over a dirt surface that had been playing kind enough to front-runners, Sibelius broke well but was outfooted and raced in about fifth position while hugging the fence. Fourth as Hopkins (Quality Road), Sound Money (Flatter) and Gunite (Gun Runner) lined up at the head of the lane, Moore–who had early won the G2 Dubai Gold Cup going two miles on the grass–was relentless, pumping with his left arm while using a right-handed stick and he managed to shove Sibelius across the line first in the tightest of tight photos. Sales history: $100,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $62,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $75,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. O-Jun H Park & Delia Nash; B-Taylor Brothers Properties LLC, Pollock Farms, Patrick H. Payne et al; T-Jeremiah O'Dwyer.

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