Kizuna Heads Japan's Leading Sire List

Kizuna (JPN) and Lord Kanaloa (JPN) continue to battle for the top spot on Japan's leading sires' list. As of Aug. 29, with two-thirds of the year nearly over, Kizuna leads the race with progeny earnings totaling ¥3,452,861,000 (approx. US$23.34 million); while Lord Kanaloa is close behind, with progeny earnings grossing ¥3,371,273,000 (approx. US$22.79 million). Drefong ranks in third with earnings of ¥1,862,379,000; but that's well behind the top two. It is down to just a two-horse race for Japan's leading sire of 2025, which includes statistics from Japan Racing Association and all races at regional racing under the jurisdiction of the National Association of Racing. While progeny of Kizuna have won seven graded stakes at JRA tracks, the leading money earner for Kizuna is Natural Rise (JPN), who won three races from the same number of starts so far this year. His victories include the first and second leg of the Dirt Triple Crown for 3-year-olds in Japan, conducted on NAR tracks. He has earned ¥180 million (approx. US$1.21 million). Lord Kanaloa has had three grade 1 winners at JRA—Costa Nova (JPN), who won the February Stakes (G1), Satono Reve (JPN), who won the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1), and Bellagio Opera (JPN), who won the Osaka Hai (G1). Kizuna was crowned Japan's leading sire for the first time in 2024, while Lord Kanaloa finished second for the fifth consecutive year.