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Emerging as race favorite in this year’s February Stakes after being dismissed as the longest shot on the board in the 2014 event, Copano Rickey has become the first horse in JRA history to capture the title two years in a row.
After last year’s triumph, the chestnut went on to secure two NAR-G1 titles, the Kashiwa Kinen (dirt, 1,600m) in May and the JBC Classic (dirt, 2,000m) in November, and three weeks after finishing a dismal 12th due to a poor break in the Champions Cup, Copano Rickey turned in a runner-up effort four lengths from winner Hokko Tarumae (JPN, H6, by King Kamehamema) in the Tokyo Daishoten (G1, dirt, 2,000m) at the end of the season.
The Akira Murayama trained horse had come back to defend his title this year after kicking off his 2015 campaign successfully with a four-length victory in last month’s Tokai Stakes (G2, dirt, 1,800m).
For trainer Akira Murayama, this is third February Stakes and in as many JRA-G1 titles, while veteran jockey Yutaka Take celebrates his 69th JRA-G1 title, his first since the Mile Championship with Tosen Ra (JPN, by Deep Impact) in 2013.
In contrast to his disappointing Champions Cup start, Copano Rickey sprinted well from the fourth stall at the head of the backstretch and sat a perfect stalking trip within two lengths of the pace setter Admire Royal up to the last corner. The champion had no trouble in finding his stride as he easily drew even with the leader 400 meters out and steadily expanded his lead, keeping the late closing Incantation at bay to hit the wire half-a-length in front for the win.
“I’m happy and relieved since he was the race favorite. His break wasn’t that good, but we were able to take a smooth trip at a good pace. We were fortunate that there was a pace setter. He had so much left at the top of the stretch and was so confident and eager. He was tuned up perfectly for this huge target and was able to show his true strength”, Yutaka Take commented.
After breaking sharply from a wide stall, fifth favorite Incantation was settled just off the pace and four wide, entering the lane fourth from the front for a clear run. While overtaking the tiring pace setter at the furlong pole, the five-year-old bay struggled in vain to gain in on the leader but found his second wind in the last 100 meters to accelerate well, however was 1/2 length too late at the line to finish second.
Third pick Best Warrior also took a wide trip in mid-pack and was a few lengths behind Incantation when the field straightened away. The chestnut persistently closed in stride for stride through the stretch, picking off his tiring rivals to cross the line another 3/4 length behind for third.
