Another dreary February day, another G1 February Stakes victory for Costa Nova (Lord Kanaloa). One of the rare Japanese Group 1 dirt races, the 1600-metre contest has now been won twice in consecutive years by three horses, with Copano Rickey (Gold Allure) saluting in 2014/2015 and Café Pharoah (American Pharoah) equaling that feat in 2021/2022. The race is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in the autumn.The 12-5 chance raced in midfield as Sixpence (Kizuna) cut out the running. Trapped three wide with five furlongs remaining, the six-year-old entire continued to punch the breeze over the deep dirt surface. Slingshotting off the fence and fanning out into the centre of the ocurse, Costa Nova closed in determined fashion and ground past all comers to win a shade comfortably. Multiple stakes winner and five-time Group 1 runner-up Wilson Tesoro (Kitasan Black) was a half-length back in second. The only mare in the field, 2025 G1 Champions Cup heroine W Heart Bond (Kizuna) was another half-length behind in third. Nine of the 16 horses in the field finished within a second of each other.“I am happy to have won the first Group 1 of this season with Costa Nova with whom I've partnered for some time. 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,” said Christophe Lemaire.Since his 2025 February Stakes tally, the entire ran third in the Kashiwa Kinen in May, and was second in the G3 Musashino Stakes in November.Pedigree NotesShadai Stallion Station's Lord Kanaloa counts 65 stakes winners among his runners. Of his 46 graded/group winners, 12 have been successful at the top level, with Costa Nova his sixth progeny to win at least two such titles.The dual February Stakes hero is one of five winners from six to race alongside multiple group-placed Feiern Kranz (Duramente). Colorful Blossom (Heart's Cry)'s latest foal is a yearling by Drefong. She was bred to Equinox last spring. Granddam Tropical Blossom (Thunder Gulch) won a stakes at the now defunct Golden Gate and was third in the GI Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap.Sunday, Tokyo, JapanFEBRUARY STAKES-G1, ¥290,980,000, Tokyo, 2-22, 4yo/up, 1600m, 1:35.40, fs.1–COSTA NOVA (JPN), 128, h, 6, 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 SueO-Katsumi Yoshida; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Tetsuya Kimura;J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥153,486,000. Lifetime Record: 14-8-2-1, ¥426,545,001. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.2–Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 128, h, 7, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–ChesutokeRose, by Uncle Mo. O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings; B-Ryoken Farm(Jpn); ¥60,996,000.3–W Heart Bond (Jpn), 123, m, 5, Kizuna (Jpn)–Persistently, bySmoke Glacken. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);¥38,498,000.Margins: HF, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.40, 4.40, 2.00.Also Ran: Brian Sense (Jpn), Omega Guiness (Jpn), Peptide Nile (Jpn), Natural Rise (Jpn), Ramjet (Jpn), Sixpence (Jpn), Perriere (Jpn), Lord Couronne (Jpn), Sunrise Hawk (Jpn), Sakura Toujours (Jpn), Long Run (Jpn), Saimon Xanadu (Jpn), Happy Man (Jpn).Click for the JRA chart & video. G1 1600m February Stakes at TokyoTitle defended by 6h 12. COSTA NOVA (Lord Kanaloa xColorful Blossom (Heart's Cry)) under Christophe Lemaire, powerful burst2nd yet again to 7h 14. WILSON TESORO3rd to the 5yo mare W HEART BOND1.35.4 the Mile#JRA pic.twitter.com/HPhJAIMMks— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) February 22, 2026The post Costa Nova Doubles Up In February Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.