Kizuna’s 2-Year-Old Progeny Awaken! Orfsen Emerges as a Derby Contender

November 15, 2025

On November 15, 2025, the 2-year-old generation of Kizuna’s progeny, previously considered to be underperforming, has seen a surge in success across various racecourses, leading to a rapid rise in their evaluation. Orfsen, who dominated a maiden race at Tokyo Racecourse, is now being hailed as a Derby contender, raising expectations for the classic season. This article explains the current situation and future prospects for Kizuna’s 2-year-old crop.

Key Points of This Article

• Kizuna’s 2-year-old progeny, Orfsen, won the Tokyo 2-year-old maiden race decisively, drawing attention as a Derby contender.
• Another of Kizuna’s progeny finished second in the same race, securing a remarkable one-two finish.
• On the same day, another Kizuna offspring won a different race, causing the overall evaluation of the sire’s progeny to shift from underperforming to highly acclaimed.
• Kizuna’s progeny have always been known for their consistency, and high hopes are held for their performance in the upcoming classic races.

Orfsen’s Dominant Victory! A One-Two Finish for Kizuna’s Progeny

The race that garnered the most attention was the 2-year-old maiden race (2000m, turf) at Tokyo Racecourse. The winner was Orfsen, a son of Kizuna, ridden by jockey Tom Marquand.

During the race, Orfsen was blocked in the final stretch, but he showed incredible fighting spirit to break through for a powerful win. Online comments praised the performance, with remarks like, “He won despite being completely boxed in with no path,” and “I thought he was done for, but he skillfully found a way out.” Furthermore, the second-place finisher was Sol Passare, another of Kizuna’s progeny out of the famous mare Yoka Yoka, completing a spectacular one-two finish.

A Derby Horse in the Making? Rising Expectations for Orfsen

In response to Orfsen’s powerful victory, voices of high expectation are already emerging on social media and forums, with comments like, “This one is a Derby horse for sure.”

Additionally, some fans are drawing parallels to past successes, noting, “When you think of Marquand and a Kizuna progeny at Tokyo 2000m, Justin Milano comes to mind.” Depending on his future race schedule, it’s highly possible that Orfsen could become a leading contender for the classics.

Kizuna’s Progeny Continue Their Winning Streak! Signs of a Rising Star

The momentum for Kizuna’s progeny didn’t stop there. In another 2-year-old maiden race on the same day, a son of Kizuna (out of dam Bearfoot Lady), who is a half-brother to Giovanni, also claimed victory, extending the winning streak. The success of the sire’s offspring as a whole has been met with a flood of praise, with comments such as, “This could be Kizuna’s next big star,” and “The era of Kizuna has arrived.”

A Turnaround from a Slump? The Current State and Evaluation of Kizuna’s 2-Year-Olds

This year’s 2-year-old crop from Kizuna had been described by some racing fans as “underwhelming so far” or “in a slump.” However, following these recent successes, that evaluation is rapidly changing, with many now saying, “They’re finally hitting their stride” or “They’ve really stepped up.”

Kizuna’s progeny have always been praised for their “outstanding consistency” and “high average performance,” and they are known for having long, successful careers after their first win. The data supports this: among the current 2-year-olds bred by Northern Farm, 7 out of 17 starters have already won, a record that was by no means cause for pessimism.

With this winning streak as a catalyst, all eyes are now on how promising horses like Orfsen and Barcesito, along with the rest of Kizuna’s 2-year-old progeny, will perform in the classic season. Their future developments are not to be missed.