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Wikipedia / February Stakes

|} 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.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by a horse (2):

Most wins by a jockey (5):

Most wins by a trainer (3):

  • Akira Murayama (2012, 2014, 2015)

Most wins by an owner (4):

Winners

# 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

References

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Racing Post:

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