Katsumi Yoshida’s 6-year-old Costa Nova (JPN) successfully defended his title in Sunday’s 1-mile February Stakes on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse, taking the lead inside the final 100 meters to prevail by a half-length over Wilson Tesoro (GB). With this victory, Costa Nova earned an automatic starting position into this year’s $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.
Costa Nova joins Skippylongstocking, winner of the Jan. 24 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), and Forever Young (JPN), who captured the Feb. 14 Saudi Cup (G1), as the first three horses thus far to receive automatic berths into this year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Before a crowd of 58,224, Costa Nova, the 3.4-1 second choice trained by Tetsuya Kimura and ridden by Christophe Lemaire, broke alertly in the 16-horse field and settled in 11th place while Sixpence (JPN) secured the lead and saved ground along the inside through the first half-mile. Coming into the home stretch, Lemaire took a wide course and Costa Nova began to accelerate past a wall of horses to his inside. Approaching the wire, Costa Nova passed Wilson Tesoro, with the mare W Heart Bond (JPN), the 3-1 favorite, finishing third.
“I am happy to have won the first Group 1 of this season with Costa Nova, with whom I’ve partnered for some time,” said Lamaire to Japan Racing Association publicty. “He broke nicely and we were able to relax during the trip behind Wilson Tesoro. I had great response from the horse as soon as I shifted him to the outside for the stretch drive and, from then on, he was extremely strong up to the wire.”
Gaining his eighth win in 14 starts, Costa Nova completed the mile in 1:35.4 over a track listed as standard. The son of Lord Kanaloa (JPN) became the third horse to win the February Stakes in consecutive years, following Copano Rickey (JPN) (2014-2015) and Cafe Pharoah (2021-2022).
Third favorite Wilson Tesoro raced in mid-field, about a length in front of the eventual winner and at the heels of the race favorite, keeping in touch with that foe as the two began to make their bid after the last corner. Creeping up on the outside of W Heart Bond with 200 meters to go, the son of Kitasan Black managed to stick his neck in front of W Heart Bond but was soon overtaken by the winner and succumbed to second place but bested the rest by 1/2-length.
Race favorite W Heart Bond, aiming to become the first female to win the G1 February Stakes title, settled nicely in around fourth or fifth position and had a clear path along the center lane after rounding the final corner. She gained ground impressively to engage in a four-horse rally from the furlong pole to the wire where while beaten to third, managed to cross the wire 3/4-length in front of Brian Sense.
4th: (3) Brian Sense—hugged rail around 11th, launched 2nd fastest late drive
5th: (1) Omega Guiness—saved ground in 4th, showed tenacious run while overtaken by top 4 finishers
6th: (15) Peptide Nile—chased leaders in 3rd, led 300m out, weakened in last 100m
7th: (13) Natural Rise—sat wide in 13th, passed tired rivals
8th: (6) Ramjet—broke poorly, trailed in rear, showed belated charge
9th: (5) Sixpence—set pace after 300m, ran gamely until 100m out
10th: (4) Perriere—took economic trip around 7th, lacked needed kick
11th: (10) Lord Couronne—stalked leader in 2nd, sustained bid until 100m out
12th: (11) Sunrise Hawk—settled near rear, angled out, had too much ground to cover
13th: (8) Sakura Toujours—positioned around 11th, never fired at stretch
14th: (7) Long Run—raced 3rd from rear, unable to reach contention
15th: (16) Saimon Xanadu—traveled wide around 8th, failed to respond
16th: (2) Happy Man—ran near pace around 4th, outrun in stretch
Fractional time (sec./furlong): 12.7 – 10.9 – 11.5 – 12.0 – 12.1 – 11.9 – 12.0 – 12.3
Last 4 furlongs: 48.3 Last 3 furlongs: 36.2
Positions at each corner: 3rd corner (*5,10)15(1,2)9(4,14,16)(3,8,12)(7,13)(6,11)
4th corner (*5,10,15)1(2,9)(4,14)(3,8,16)12(7,13)(6,11)
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Costa Nova to start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 1/4 miles. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 19, 2026, to receive the rewards.
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