Sibelius tallied his first stakes victory Saturday at Pimlico when the 4-year-old son of Not This Time rolled to a 7 ½-length victory in the $100,000 Lite the Fuse S.
He is the third stakes winner in the past four days for red-hot Not This Time, who leads the Third-Crop Sire list in nearly every category. Sibelius is his 11th stakes winner this year, and put his sire on the cusp of $10 million in progeny earnings in 2022.
Sibelius wasted no time getting to the lead, speeding through the first quarter-mile in :22.76. He shook clear of Quick Tempo easily, and then poured it on in the stretch to stop the timer in 1:09.30 on a fast main track.
“When I started the race I thought they’d be a little more speed, but he came out of the gate running and I didn’t want to take anything away. He was traveling very nicely. He was going it easily for him,” winning rider Junior Alvarado said.
“It was a great effort by him today,” added trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer. “He’s a 4-year-old now, and I think this is his year. He’s put it all together.”
Saturday’s win upped the winner’s record to 4-2-3 in 14 starts, with earnings of $296,195 for owners Jun Park and Delia Nash.
O’Dwyer said he would consider running Sibelius next in the $350,000 Phoenix S. (G2) next month at Keeneland.
Sibelius was bred in Kentucky by Taylor Brothers Properties, LLC, Pollock Farms, Patrick Payne, et al.
