The Japan Racing Association's Grade 1 season for 2012 gets underway this weekend with the 29th running of the February Stakes with last year's winner Transcend favoured to defend his crown as the country's best dirt performer.
The February Stakes, run over a mile on the Fuchu course in Tokyo, is the oldest of the JRA's graded dirt races, went on to become the first Japanese G1 race on dirt and was made an international event in 2007.
It is the spring counterpart to the Japan Cup Dirt and often serves as a stepping stone for horses targeting the Dubai World Cup.
Transcend won the February Stakes last year before going on to finish a narrow second to compatriot Victoire Pisa in the World Cup and is on the same path this year.
The February Stakes has been won by the favourite eight times in the last 10 years and Transcend is an obvious first choice after he was named the JRA's best dirt horse for 2011.
As well as the 2011 February Stakes, he won the Mile Championship Nambu Hai and the Japan Cup Dirt before his second in the World Cup, a result that still irks trainer Takayuki Yasuda.
"He ran his heart out and proved himself second best in the entire world. We were so close, I would have given anything to have won it," Yasuda said.
The February Stakes will be Transcend's first start in more than two months, but Yasuda is far from concerned about the readiness of his star.
"We can't afford to lose here. We're going back to the Dubai World Cup and this time I want to win it," he said.
"He's durable, and is easy to get into shape. He runs well even after a long break."
Yasuda will insist jockey Shinji Fujita grabs the lead from the start and runs with it.
"He's produced when he's come from behind but Fujita says he's a lot sharper and more aggressive when he's on the lead," Yasuda said.
"Fujita's right because Transcend has won more impressively when he sets the pace. That's the kind of race we'll expect from him this time."
