Horse Racing: February Stakes

Peptide Nile (Japan Racing Association Photo) TOKYO- Stunning the crowd at Tokyo Racecourse, jockey Yusuke Fujioka rode 38-1 longshot Peptide Nile (JPN) to a 1 1/4-length victory Sunday over Gaia Force (JPN) in the $1.8 million February Stakes (G1). Sent off as the 11th choice in a field of 16, the lightly regarded 6-year-old turned in the best…

Lightly regarded Peptide Nile turned in an astonishingperformance in claiming his first Grade 1 victory Sunday, carrying 37-1 odds toa 1 1/4-length upset in the US$822845 February Stakes, a one-turn dirt mile atTokyo Racecourse. The 6-year-old horse gave trainer Hidenori Take, who openedhis yard in 2018, his seventh graded, flat victory and his…

The American-bred Lemon Pop's overall speed over the final 400 meters secured his eighth career victory and also marked a successful debut in a Japan Racing Association Grade I race. He completed the 1600-meter event, open to horses aged 4 and up, in 1 minute, 35.6 seconds. It was the first G1 race on the JRA's 2023 calendar. After nearly tumbling…

Instead, Lemaire and Cafe Pharoah stayed the course, exhibiting patience and fortitude. As the horses galloped and made the turn toward the final stretch, Cafe Pharoah sat in fourth place. But not for long. Urged on by Lemaire, the bay colt kept pushing ahead. Air Almas' lead dwindled as Cafe Pharoah inched closer toward the front. Making his move…