It is with much sadness that connections of Too Darn Hot, the champion two-year-old of 2018, have confirmed their horse has had to be retired after suffering a significant injury at Glorious Goodwood.
He is said to have picked up the injury to his leg in winning the Sussex Stakes at the festival, and that his owners were left with no choice but to retire him to stud following the incident.
Happily, the colt has come through a successful surgery at Newmarket’s Equine Hospital, and he can now look forward to a peaceful retirement at the Dalham Hall Stud ahead of the 2020 breeding season.
Simon Marsh, the racing manager operating on behalf of his owners Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber, said that an operation on his right-hind cannon to repair a hairline fracture had gone well.
“I’m glad to say he has come safely through surgery. The injury is not life threatening and he should make a full recovery,” Marsh said in interview.
“The Lloyd Webbers and I are very sad we won’t see this champion on the racecourse again. He has given us all so much excitement in winning three Group 1 races over the last 12 months.”
The John Gosden trained horse was a dual Group One winner, with his triumph in the Sussex Stakes following a glory-laden campaign in 2018 in which he won the Dewhurst Stakes, the Champagne and the Solario Stakes.
There was success overseas too, when he triumphed in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville earlier in the summer.
The three-year-old is said to be one of Frankie Dettori’s favourite mounts, and together enjoyed so much success in such a short period of time together. “Very sad news Too Darn Hot will not be racing again, he was a champion and I will miss riding him,” the Italian said in a post on his Twitter feed.
Stellar Youngster with the World at His Hooves
It’s a bold statement, of course, but many racing pundits had put Too Darn Hot in a similar bracket to Frankel after his sublime two-year-old career.
And the handicappers agreed too, handing John Gosden’s charge a rating of 126 in January, which was the same as Frankel after his maiden campaign.
It would be fair to say that the son of Dubawi had not enjoyed the stellar 2019 season expected, but it certainly ended on a high note.
And besides, this was a horse who won six out of nine starts, and never finished outside the top three. That is a fine career by anybody’s standards.
Gosden has apportioned some of the blame to himself for Too Darn Hot’s relative failings this term, while an injury in the spring had ruled him out of an expected tilt at glory in the 2,000 Guineas back in May.
The now three-year-old didn’t look the same horse thereafter, suffering defeat in the Dante before failing to get in the frame in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
But a renaissance this summer had connections dreaming of a shot at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Prix du Moulin also touted.
Now, all we can od is reflect on a fine career, and keep our eyes peeled for the developments of any of his progeny who will no doubt be blessed with their sire’s incredible love of winning.