“Sibelius is back!” Gulfstream Park announcer Pete Aiello roared as the strapping chestnut stormed to the wire a four-length victor of the $125,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) Dec. 23.
Winless in three efforts since his gutsy Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) victory in March, the Jeremiah O’Dwyer trainee may have earned his ticket back to Meydan after taking the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector for the second year in a row.
Racing for the colors of Delia Nash and Jun Park, the 5-year-old son of Not This Time leapt out sharply from the far outside nine hole and quickly locked horns with Hurricane J and Long Range Toddy through swift opening fractions of :22.44 and :45. Without being asked from rider Junior Alvarado, Sibelius scampered clear of his rivals into the run for the far turn and opened a two-length advantage at the head of the lane. When called upon for a little more, Sibelius responded, surging to the wire a commanding four lengths in front.
The post-time favorite, Sibelius ($5.80) stopped the clock in 1.23.16 on a fast main track. Three-year-old Gilmore , racing off the pace early, closed for second, three-quarters of a length in front of Dreaming of Kona .
Taking his bankroll past $1.7 million, Sibelius posted the fifth stakes win of his career.
O’Dwyer became just the third trainer since 1978 to take successive runnings of the Mr. Prospector, following Steve Margolis (2003-04) and David Fawkes (Jan. 2011, Dec. 2011).
Following the race, O’Dwyer said the Feb. 10 Pelican Stakes would be the next target on the gelding’s agenda.
“That’s what we did last year, and I think we’ll try to do it again this year,” O’Dwyer said. “It’s seven weeks from Dubai to the Pelican (in 2024) where this year it was six weeks, so we’ll see. I’ll take a look at the book. It was a nice prep for him last year and I think we’ll more than likely do the same. It’ll have to be something special for us to be persuaded to do something different.”
Video: Mr. Prospector S. (G3)
Spirit Wind Gusts Rivals in Sugar Swirl
Making her first start for trainer Carlos David, Spirit Wind blasted to the front and breezed to a front-running score in the $150,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3).
A Florida homebred for Jacks or Better Farm, Spirit Wind had been unraced since a fourth-place finish in the May 29 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Back at Gulfstream, a track where the Bahamian Squall filly has captured two stakes and was grade 2-placed in the Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G2) while under the care of Ralph Nicks, Spirit Wind prevailed by a half-length after controlling the pace throughout.
Spirit Wind holds off all challengers in the Sugar Swirl Stakes
Favored Intrepid Daydream and Olivia Darling closed with a rush but couldn’t catch Spirit Wind ($8.40) and jockey Jose Ortiz, who clocked the six furlongs in 1:10.58.
What They Said
“Carlos told me the works (Spirit Wind has) had here were very good works. Obviously has back class and she obviously has speed. She gave me a good jump out of the gate. She broke very clean. She relaxed very good.”—Jose Ortiz
