Kentucky-bred Sibelius scored the biggest win of his career on Saturday, March 25, in a heart-stopping renewal of the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Stakes (G1) at Meydan in the United Arab Emirates.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, Sibelius rated off a contested early pace. Racing behind the leading pack, he rode the rail through the stretch and with a final lunge at the wire, nipped defending race champion and fellow Kentucky-bred Switzerland to take down top prize in the lucrative event, which was run at about six furlongs on the main track on the undercard of the Dubai World Cup.

Owned by Jun Park and Delia Nash, Sibelius, a 5-year-old son of Not This Time, has now won three consecutive stakes races, dating back to last December when he won the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. He made his seasonal bow at Tampa Bay Downs in February, winning the Pelican Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths, covering six furlongs in a blazing 1:08 3/5 that day.

Bred in Kentucky by Taylor Brothers Properties LLC, Pollock Farms, Patrick Payne, et al, Sibelius is trained by Jeremiah O’Dwyer. He is produced from the Pulpit mare Fiery Pulpit, and is now a winner in seven of 19 career starts and has earned $1,651,283.

“The race worked out quite the way I had predicted,” O’Dwyer said. “You know you can read these races a hundred times, but it will never go the same way. To be honest, he just sat back in the gates and was a bit slow, but when you have a master rider like Ryan Moore, he gets you out of trouble. It really is a proud moment for us. I am grateful to the owners.”

Moore said of the winning trip, “I was very lucky to pick up the ride. He actually stepped a little slowly, I was a half-length further behind than I wanted to be. We had a charmed run. They just drifted off which meant we didn’t have to change lanes and the horse dug in really deep. He showed a lot of courage and heart to get there. He has form over a little bit further which I think really helped too.”