Costa Nova Lands February Stakes For Lord Kanaloa

[Wandering Eyes]

Jockey Rachel King and Costa Nova (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) partnered in Tokyo's G1 February Stakes on Sunday, and came away the three-quarter length winners over Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). King is the first female jockey to win a race at the highest tier in Japan. The February Stakes is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic this autumn.

Positioned in the first third of the strung-out field, the 3-1 shot followed in the wake of Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}). That rival carried them to the quarter pole, with King steering her charge out into the centre of the track for his bid. Mikki Fight (Jpn) (Drefong) appeared in with a chance closer to the fence in the lane, but Costa Nova kept finding for the score. Sunrise Zipangu unleashed a strong turn of foot up the rail in the dying strides to snatch second, 1 1/4 lengths to the good of a stubborn Mikki Fight.

“I'm very proud to be the first female jockey [to have won a G1 title] but also proud that Japan has welcomed me as a jockey and not just a “female” jockey–something that I've always strive to be–I'm one of everyone and we're treated the same, so I'm always thankful to the Japan and all the supporters for welcoming me like that,” said King.

Only off the board twice in nine starts prior to Sunday's heroics, Costa Nova was only sixth over a sloppy track in the Listed Cluster Cup at Morioka in August. He opened his 5-year-old campaign with a tally in the G3 Negishi Stakes in Tokyo on Feb. 2.

Pedigree Notes

The 11th top-flight winner for his sire, who is based at Shadai Stallion Station, Costa Nova is also part of a 58-strong brigade of stakes winners (41 group/graded). Lord Kanaloa is best known for his outstanding daughter Almond Eye (Jpn), a two-time Horse of the Year in Japan and Japanese Filly Triple Crown heroine. Previously, his Red Le Zele (Jpn) had finished second in the 2023 February Stakes.

A half-brother to the G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes third Feiern Kranz (Jpn) by another son of King Kamehameha (Jpn) in the late Duramente (Jpn), Costa Nova counts stakes winner and GI Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap third Tropical Blossom (Thunder Gulch), herself a half-sister to GII Davona Dale Stakes winner and multiple Grade I-placed Diamond On The Run (Kris S.), as his second dam. Grade I winners Celestine (Scat Daddy), and Super May (Super Concorde) are also kin.

Triple winner Colorful Blossom (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) has a 2-year-old colt by Makfi (GB), and was covered by Drefong last spring.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
FEBRUARY STAKES-G1, ¥233,100,000, Tokyo, 2-23, 4yo/up, 1600m, 1:35.50, gd.
1–COSTA NOVA (JPN), 128, h, 5, by  Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Colorful Blossom (Jpn), by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Tropical Blossom, by Thunder Gulch
                3rd Dam: Barbara Sue, by Barbara Sue
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Katsumi Yoshida; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Tetsuya Kimura; J-Rachel King; ¥123,570,000. Lifetime
Record: 10-7-1-0, ¥240,891,000. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Kizuna (Jpn)–Saimaa (Ire), by
Zoffany (Ire). (¥64,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Life House;
B-Oiwake Farm (Jpn); ¥49,020,000.
3–Mikki Fight (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Drefong–Special Groove (Jpn), by
Special Week (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Mizuki Noda;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥30,5160,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 3.30, 6.00, 2.30.
Also Ran: Peptide Nile (Jpn), Emperor Wakea (Jpn), Meisho Hario (Jpn), Gaia Force (Jpn), Tagano Beauty (Jpn), Ater Astraea (Jpn), Sunday Funday (Jpn), Dura Erede (Jpn) Dead Heat: Helios (Jpn), William Barows (Jpn), Derma Stotogake (Jpn), Mitono O (Jpn), Ammothyella (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video.

 

【February Stakes (G1), 1600m, Tokyo, JRA】

Winner: Costa Nova
English Race Call Video (Full)https://t.co/SZWHWSn6ip
Resulthttps://t.co/6bCZmwe8Lg#JRA #horseracing #FebruaryStakes #CostaNova pic.twitter.com/PwBoglQOwD

— HorseRacingInJapan (@HorseRacing_JPN) February 23, 2025

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