February Stakes
2026
Costa NovaWilson TesoroW Heart Bond

The February Stakes(フェブラリーステークス) is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan.

Background

The February Stakes is a Grade 1 flat race run over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 8 furlongs) at Tokyo Racecourse in late February.

History

Originally inaugurated in 1984 as the February Handicap, it began as a Domestic Grade 3 race. Its status steadily rose over the years: it was promoted to Domestic Grade 2 in 1994, the same year it was renamed the February Stakes. In 1995, the race was opened to horses registered with Japan’s National Association of Racing (NAR), broadening the competitive field. It was further elevated to Domestic Grade 1 in 1997.

In 2007, the race achieved international Grade 1 status and was opened to horses trained outside Japan, significantly enhancing its global profile.

Today, alongside the Champions Cup, the February Stakes is one of only two Grade 1 dirt races organized by the Japan Racing Association (JRA).

In February 2025, Australian jockey Rachel King made history by becoming the first female rider to win a flat Grade 1 race in Japan.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by a horse (3):

  • Copano Rickey (2014, 2015)
  • Cafe Pharoah (2021, 2022)
  • Costa Nova (2025, 2026)

Most wins by a jockey (5):

Most wins by a trainer (3):

  • Akira Murayama (2012, 2014, 2015)

Most wins by an owner (4):

Winners

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerTime
G3 - February Handicap
1984Robaria Amon5Masato YoshinagaKichisaburo MatsuyamaUraichi Suga1:40.1
1985Andre Amon6Hiroyuki NakajimaYasuhisa MatsuyamaAmon Inc.1:36.9
1986Hatsuno Amoy5Eizaburo OtsukaYoshio NakazumiHatsutaro Nakagawa1:36.7
1987Rikisan Power6Masato ShibataKunio TakamatsuSaburo Iwai1:36.5
1988Roman Prince7Sueo MasuzawaSeizuke SatoLong Shoji co.1:37.7
1989Velvet Glob6Hiroyuki GoharaFusamatsu OkuboHideo Kuribayashi1:37.2
1990Carib Song4Masato ShibataShuho KatoOgifushi Bokujo RC co.1:36.7
1991Narita Hayabusa4Norihiro YokoyamaKentaro NakaoHidenori Yamaji1:34.9
1992Russian Gold4Masayoshi EbinaYokichi OkuboAkihiro Ohara1:35.4
1993Meisho Homura5Masato ShibataShigetada TakahashiYoshio Matsumoto1:35.7
G2 - February Stakes
1994Cheers Atom5Masaru HondaKaoru HoshikawaKiyoko Kitamura1:37.8
1995Lively Mount4Mamoru IshibashiFujio ShibataTetsuo Kato1:36.4
1996Hokuto Vega6Norihiro YokoyamaTakayoshi NakanoKanamorimori Shoji1:36.5
G1 - February Stakes
1997Shinko Windy4Yukio OkabeKiyotaka TanakaOsamu Yasuda1:36.0
1998Gourmet Frontier6Yukio OkabeKiyotaka TanakaMasayoshi Ishii1:37.5
1999Meisei Opera #5Isao SugawaraShuichi SasakiMeisei Shoji co.1:36.5
2000Wing Arrow5Olivier PeslierYoshimi KudoMinoru Ikeda1:35.6
2001Nobo True5Olivier PeslierHideyuki MoriIkebata1:35.6
2002Agnes Digital5Hirofumi ShiiToshiaki ShiraiTakao Watanabe1:35.1
2003Gold Allure *4Yutaka TakeYasuo IkeeShadai Race Horse co.1:50.9
2004Admire Don5Katsumi AndoHiroyoshi MatsudaRiichi Kondo1:36.8
2005Meisho Bowler4Yuichi FukunagaToshiaki ShiraiYoshio Matsumoto1:34.7
2006Kane Hekili4Yutaka TakeKatsuhiko SumiiMakoto Kaneko1:34.9
2007Sunrise Bacchus5Katsumi AndoHidetaka OtonashiTakao Matsuoka1:34.8
2008Vermilion6Yutaka TakeSei IshizakaSunday Racing1:35.3
2009Success Brocken4Hiroyuki UchidaHideaki FujiwaraTetsu Takashima1:34.6
2010Espoir City5Tetsuzo SatoAkio AdachiYushun Horse Club1:34.9
2011Transcend5Shinji FujitaTakayuki YasudaKoji Maeda1.36.4
2012Testa Matta6Yasunari IwataAkira MurayamaKatsumi Yoshida1.35.4
2013Grape Brandy5Suguru HamanakaTakayuki YasudaShadai Race Horse co.1.35.1
2014Copano Rickey4Hironobu TanabeAkira MurayamaSachiaki Kobayashi1.36.0
20155Yutaka Take1.36.3
2016Moanin4Mirco DemuroSei IshizakaYukio Baba1.34.0
2017Gold Dream4Mirco DemuroOsamu HirataKatsumi Yoshida1.35.1
2018Nonkono Yume6Hiroyuki UchidaYukihiro KatoKazumasa Yamada1.36.0
2019Inti5Yutaka TakeKenji NonakaShigeo Takeda1.35.6
2020Mozu Ascot6Christophe LemaireYoshito YahagiCapital System1.35.2
2021Cafe Pharoah4Christophe LemaireNoriyuki HoriKoichi Nishikawa1.34.4
20225Yuichi Fukunaga1.33.8
2023Lemon Pop5Ryusei SakaiHiroyasu TanakaGodolphin1.35.6
2024Peptide Nile6Yusuke FujiokaHidenori TakeKazuhiko Numakawa1:35.7
2025Costa Nova5Rachel KingTetsuya KimuraKatsumi Yoshida1:35.5
20266Christophe Lemaire1:35.4

See also

  • Netkeiba: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
  • Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,