February Stakes

February Stakes
フェブラリーステークス

Grade 1 race
2023 February Stakes winner Lemon Pop
Location	Tokyo Racecourse
Inaugurated	1984
Race type	Thoroughbred
Race information
Distance	1,600 meters
Surface	Dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	4-y-o+
Weight	4-y-o & up 58 kg Allowances 2 kg for fillies and mares[1]
Purse	¥ 259,200,000 (as of 2024) 1st: ¥ 120,000,000 2nd: ¥ 48,000,000 3rd: ¥ 30,000,000

The February Stakes (フェブラリーステークス) is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for four-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 8 furlongs) at Tokyo Racecourse in late February.

It was first run in 1984 as February Handicap, and was given Domestic Grade 3 status. This was elevated to Domestic Grade 2 in 1994, Domestic Grade 1 in 1997, and to its present level in 2007.

It was renamed February Stakes in 1994. Horses from National Association of Racing(NAR) have been eligible to run in the race since 1995, and 2007 for horses not trained in Japan. This race and Champions Cup are the only Grade 1 dirt race organized by the JRA (the other international Grade 1 dirt race (Tokyo Daishōten) and domestic Grade1 races are all organized by NAR).

It is considered as the stepping race to the Dubai World Cup Night meetings' dirt races.