|} The 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 1999, , made history by becoming the first horse from trained in the NAR to claim victory in a JRA Grade 1 race.
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 JRA.
Many top contenders at this race make expeditions to Dubai World Cup Night, particularly to the Dubai World Cup, one of the world's richest horse race. In 2011, Transcend, the winner of this race finished second at the 2011 Dubai World Cup, making a close finish with the winner Victoire Pisa, another Japanese contender.
In February 2025, Australian jockey Rachel King made history by becoming the first female rider to win a flat Grade 1 race in Japan.
Trial races Trial races provide automatic berths to the winning horses. RaceGradeRacecourseDistanceConditionProcyon StakesGIIKyotoDirt 1,800 metresWinnerNegishi StakesGIIITokyoDirt 1,400 metresWinner
Records Speed record: 1.33.8 – Cafe Pharoah (2022)
Most wins by a horse (2): Copano Rickey (2014, 2015) Cafe Pharoah (2021, 2022) Costa Nova (2025, 2026) Most wins by a jockey (5): Yutaka Take (2003, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2019)
Most wins by a trainer (3): Akira Murayama (2012, 2014, 2015)
Most wins by an owner (4): Katsumi Yoshida (2012, 2017, 2025, 2026)
Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner TimeG3 - February Handicap1984Robaria Amon5Masato YoshinagaKichisaburo MatsuyamaUraichi Suga1:40.11985Andre Amon6Hiroyuki NakajimaYasuhisa MatsuyamaAmon Inc.1:36.91986Hatsuno Amoy5Eizaburo OtsukaYoshio NakazumiHatsutaro Nakagawa1:36.71987Rikisan Power6Masato ShibataKunio TakamatsuSaburo Iwai1:36.51988Roman Prince7Sueo MasuzawaSeizuke SatoLong Shoji co.1:37.71989Velvet Glove6Hiroyuki GoharaFusamatsu OkuboHideo Kuribayashi1:37.21990Carib Song4Masato ShibataShuho KatoOgifushi Bokujo RC co.1:36.71991Narita Hayabusa4Norihiro YokoyamaKentaro NakaoHidenori Yamaji1:34.91992Russian Gold4Masayoshi EbinaYokichi OkuboAkihiro Ohara1:35.41993Meisho Homura5Masato ShibataShigetada TakahashiYoshio Matsumoto1:35.7G2 - February Stakes1994Cheers Atom5Masaru HondaKaoru HoshikawaKiyoko Kitamura1:37.81995Lively Mount4Mamoru IshibashiFujio ShibataTetsuo Kato1:36.41996Hokuto Vega6Norihiro YokoyamaTakayoshi NakanoKanamorimori Shoji1:36.5G1 - February Stakes1997Shinko Windy4Yukio OkabeKiyotaka TanakaOsamu Yasuda1:36.01998Gourmet Frontier6Yukio OkabeKiyotaka TanakaMasayoshi Ishii1:37.51999Meisei Opera #5Isao SugawaraShuichi SasakiMeisei Shoji co.1:36.52000Wing Arrow5Olivier PeslierYoshimi KudoMinoru Ikeda1:35.62001Nobo True5Olivier PeslierHideyuki MoriIkebata1:35.62002Agnes Digital5Hirofumi ShiiToshiaki ShiraiTakao Watanabe1:35.12003Gold Allure *4Yutaka TakeYasuo IkeeShadai Race Horse co.1:50.92004Admire Don5Katsumi AndoHiroyoshi MatsudaRiichi Kondo1:36.82005Meisho Bowler4Yuichi FukunagaToshiaki ShiraiYoshio Matsumoto1:34.72006Kane Hekili4Yutaka TakeKatsuhiko SumiiMakoto Kaneko1:34.92007Sunrise Bacchus5Katsumi AndoHidetaka OtonashiTakao Matsuoka1:34.82008Vermilion6Yutaka TakeSei IshizakaSunday Racing1:35.32009Success Brocken4Hiroyuki UchidaHideaki FujiwaraTetsu Takashima1:34.62010Espoir City5Tetsuzo SatoAkio AdachiYushun Horse Club1:34.92011Transcend5Shinji FujitaTakayuki YasudaKoji Maeda1.36.42012Testa Matta6Yasunari IwataAkira MurayamaKatsumi Yoshida1.35.42013Grape Brandy5Suguru HamanakaTakayuki YasudaShadai Race Horse co.1.35.12014Copano Rickey4Hironobu TanabeAkira MurayamaSachiaki Kobayashi1.36.020155Yutaka Take1.36.32016Moanin4Mirco DemuroSei IshizakaYukio Baba1.34.02017Gold Dream4Mirco DemuroOsamu HirataKatsumi Yoshida1.35.12018Nonkono Yume6Hiroyuki UchidaYukihiro KatoKazumasa Yamada1.36.02019Inti5Yutaka TakeKenji NonakaShigeo Takeda1.35.62020Mozu Ascot6Christophe LemaireYoshito YahagiCapital System1.35.22021Cafe Pharoah4Christophe LemaireNoriyuki HoriKoichi Nishikawa1.34.420225Yuichi Fukunaga1.33.82023Lemon Pop5Ryusei SakaiHiroyasu TanakaGodolphin1.35.62024Peptide Nile6Yusuke FujiokaHidenori TakeKazuhiko Numakawa1:35.72025Costa Nova5Rachel KingTetsuya KimuraKatsumi Yoshida1:35.520266Christophe Lemaire1:35.4 # Meisei Opera, winner of the 1999 race, belongs to the National Association of Racing(NAR) but not Japan Racing Association(JRA).* The 2003 race took place at Nakayama Racecourse in distance of 1,800m.
See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races
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