Costa Nova cruised to the front in the final sixteenth to win the Grade 1 February Stakes at a mile on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday, becoming the third horse to win Japan’s leading wintertime dirt race for the second time.
With the win, Costa Nova earned a fees-paid berth for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
On Sunday, Costa Nova, the 2-1 second choice in a field of 16, was 12th in the early furlongs. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Costa Nova was 10th with five furlongs remaining, racing off the rail. Continuing wide, Costa Nova was still 10th with a quarter-mile remaining, but closer to the front. Cosa Nostra was racing eight-wide late when he took the lead.
“He broke nicely and were able to relax during the trip,” Lemaire told Japan Racing Association publicity.
“I had great response from the horse as soon as I shifted him to the outside for the stretch drive. From then on, he was extremely strong up to the wire.”
Costa Nova won by a half-length over 4-1 Wilson Tesoro, who was seventh on the turn. Wilson Tesora finished a half-length in front of 2-1 favorite W Heart Bond, a 5-year-old mare who was beaten for the second time in nine starts. She won the Grade 1 Champions Cup at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Chukyo Racecourse on Dec. 7.
Costa Nova, by Lord Kanaloa, is a 6-year-old horse owned by Katsumi Yoshida and trained by Tetsuya Kimura. A winner of 8 of 14 starts, Costa Nova joins Copano Rickey (2014-2015) and Café Pharoah (2021-2022) as two-time winners of the February Stakes.
Sunday’s win was the first for Costa Nova since the 2025 February Stakes, ending a three-race losing streak.
Lucky Kid upsets Derby qualifier
Earlier on Sunday’s program, 22-1 Lucky Kid won for the second time in his fourth start in the $244,900 Hyacinth Stakes at a mile on dirt for 3-year-olds, part of the Japan qualifying series for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2.
Lucky Kid, ridden by Mirai Iwata, closed from fifth of 10 to win by a neck over a fast-closing Don Erectus, a 6-1 chance. Arcadia Café, a half-brother to Café Pharoah, finished sixth as the 7-10 favorite.
With the win, Lucky Kid earned 30 qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby, leading the four-race Japanese series with one race remaining – the Fukuryu Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on March 28. The winner of the Fukuryu Stakes receives 40 qualifying points.
Lucky Kid, a Japanese-bred colt by Discreet Cat, races for Godolphin Racing and Yukihiro Kato. Godolphin also owns Pyromancer, who has 20 qualifying points. Pyromancer did not start in the Hyacinth Stakes.
Lucky Kid and Pyromancer are nominated to the Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 28. The winner of that race receives 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby through the Europe-Middle East qualifying series.
The two nominated runners with the most points in the Europe-Middle East series earth berths to the Kentucky Derby. One berth to the Kentucky Derby is available through the Japan qualifying series.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.