Christophe Lemaire said the most important part of Costa Nova’s performance was the opening stride, and once he jumped cleanly he was well on his way to a second consecutive February Stakes win in Sunday’s renewal of Japan’s first Group 1 of the season at Tokyo Racecourse.
“I was relieved, of course. I thought, ‘Ah, good, he’s out,’” Lemaire said.
That clean break proved the turning point for a horse whose previous start was marred by the exact opposite. Lemaire admitted the beginning was his “biggest concern” after Costa Nova failed to fire at the start at Urawa – a defeat he now views as a necessary “trial” in hindsight. On the expansive, fair galloping lanes of Tokyo Racecourse, which prizes rhythm and a devastating turn of foot, Costa Nova’s first step was all he needed to keep his options open and, ultimately, defend his crown.
Trainer Tetsuya Kimura conceded he watched the stalls with a degree of trepidation, stemming not from a lack of preparation, but from a calculated gamble. Following a starting-gate sanction in his previous race, officials monitored Costa Nova’s behaviour in the stalls; consequently, the stable opted to waive traditional gate drills entirely.
“To be precise, we did no gate practice,” Kimura revealed. “Naturally, carrying the weight of responsibility, I approached the race with a fair amount of anxiety.”
The risk was rewarded. Lemaire noted that Costa Nova “jumped well today, so there was no lost ground,” even as the horse settled towards the rear of the field. He found a pocket behind Wilson Tesoro – a position he felt provided the “ideal” tow – and allowed the race to develop in front of him.
“The rhythm was spot on,” Lemaire said. “We were in a perfect spot tracking Wilson Tesoro.”
From there, the defending champion travelled with the poise Kimura had long expected: relaxed, in a rhythmic tempo and conserving his energy for the daunting Tokyo home straight. Kimura noted that “establishing that rhythm at the break was everything.” Once Costa Nova turned for home with what he described as an “excellent response”, the result felt inevitable.
“When he hits the top of the straight with that kind of engine, it means he has plenty of leg left,” Kimura said. “After that, I was simply watching to see how quickly he could reel them in.”
Navigating the traffic with veteran cool, Lemaire angled his mount into the clear. “I rode a safe race,” he said. “We were a bit wide, but once he was out, his response was immediate.”
Post-race discussion inevitably turned to a key gear change: Costa Nova was sporting blinkers for the first time. Lemaire suggested the equipment didn’t fundamentally alter the horse’s mid-race gallop, but likely sharpened his focus at the off. He also praised the backstretch staff for keeping the horse settled in the paddock.
“It didn’t change much during the run, but perhaps he was more switched on at the start,” Lemaire noted. “He was very composed before the off today.”
Kimura, however, was careful not to let the blinkers become an easy narrative. He confirmed he had been leaning towards the change since the last race and took full ownership of the decision, while suggesting the true impact of the gear might not be understood for years.
“Personally, I view it as an evolution of our training approach,” Kimura said. “As for exactly what sparked today’s performance, we might not truly know for a long time.”
What was undeniable on Sunday was that the winner had been trained to the minute. Lemaire observed that Costa Nova’s condition had “gradually sharpened,” arriving in peak fitness following a productive stepping-stone at Urawa, where he was ridden conservatively.
“Since he had plenty of petrol in the tank, I only asked for full power in the final 200 metres,” Lemaire said. “I think he came on significantly for that. Today, he was at his absolute best.”
Lemaire went further, suggesting the horse has “likely reached his zenith this year.” He described a runner who has matured into his frame and now accelerates with the fluidity of a turf specialist despite his dirt prowess.
“His action is superb – very much like a grass horse,” Lemaire said. “He stays low to the ground, which generates immense speed.”
With this victory, Costa Nova became only the third horse to secure back-to-back February Stakes titles, joining the elite company of Copano Rickey (2014-15) and Café Pharoah (2021-22) – a rare feat in a race where the crucial start and punishing straight leaves little room for error.
Despite the historical weight of the win, Kimura remained understated. Reflecting on a year that had its share of frustrations, he suggested the prevailing emotion was one of relief rather than record-chasing.
“Records and consecutive wins aside, I am simply relieved to have delivered the result,” Kimura said.
Regarding future targets, neither trainer nor jockey would be drawn into specifics. Kimura noted he would “thoroughly vet the horse’s condition first,” indicating a preference for patience over a rushed overseas campaign.
Lemaire, meanwhile, remains confident he is sitting on a world-class dirt campaigner.
“He is a top-level operator on this surface,” he said. “I don’t know where he goes next, but he is a true G1 horse – he can hold his own anywhere.” ∎
