The first JRA (Japan Racing Association) Grade 1 race of 2025 will be run this Sunday, February 23, at the Tokyo Racecourse, where the prestigious February Stakes will be contested for the 42nd time.
The race will be run over 1 600 meters on dirt with a turf start. Interestingly, this race is one of only two Grade 1 dirt events in Japan, alongside the Champions Cup in December.
First introduced in 1984 as a Grade 3 event under the name February Handicap, the race gradually climbed the ranks, achieving domestic Grade 1 status in 1997.
In 2007, it was elevated to an international Grade 1, welcoming overseas runners, with North American contender SHIRL'S SPEIGHT becoming the first foreign entrant in 2023, finishing ninth. Since 2016, the race has also served as a “Win and You’re In” event for the Breeders’ Cup which will take place on 31 October and 1 November 2025.