Two of the most exciting horses of recent years, Too Darn Hot and Masar, will stand their first seasons in 2020 at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, alongside their own outstanding sires Dubawi and New Approach.
Too Darn Hot established himself as a horse with huge talent from the moment he stepped onto the racecourse, winning on debut at Sandown by no fewer than seven lengths. He returned to the Surrey track less than a month later and was equally impressive, landing the G3 Solario Stakes by four.
Next came the G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and Too Darn Hot came with a withering late run to win far more easily than the length-and-three-quarter margin would suggest.
Too Darn Hot then confirmed his status as Champion two-year-old, and rounded off a perfect juvenile campaign, when beating a high-class field containing the future G1 Commonwealth Cup and the future Derby winner in the G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
Placings in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes followed at three, before he recorded a scintillating victory in the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville.
Too Darn Hot rounded off his glittering career when bettering his older rivals to take the G1 Sussex Stakes.
Bred by Watership Down Stud, Too Darn Hot hails from an outstanding family. He is out of Singspiel’s globetrotting multiple G1 winner Dar Re Mi, making him a full brother to St Leger second Lah Ti Dar and multiple Stakes winner So Mi Dar. His two-year-old full brother was the highest-priced yearling to sell in Europe last year, going to David Redvers for 3.5 million guineas at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.
Simon Marsh, Racing Manager for Watership Down Stud, said, “When we set out to create Watership Down Stud with the purchase of Darara, we wanted to breed the best.
Too Darn Hot comprises everything the Lloyd Webbers set out to achieve. He has taken us all on an incredible journey and has everything you want in a stallion - talent, precocity, pedigree and looks.”.
Too Darn Hot will be joined by another beautifully bred horse in Masar, who it could be said was always destined for Classic success.
The son of New Approach also broke his maiden at the first time of asking, beating G2-winning sprinter Invincible Army over six furlongs at Goodwood.
After placing in the Chesham at Royal Ascot, Masar won the G3 Solario Stakes next time out –in a faster time than Too Darn Hot’s victory the following year.
Masar returned to the UK at three with a nine-length demolition of the field in the Craven (ahead of Roaring Lion, who he beat each and every time they met), before running another fine race to take third in the 2,000 Guineas.
The following month, he ensured his place in racing history when becoming the first horse to carry the Godolphin blue silks to victory in the Derby. He also became the third Derby winner from the Urban Sea dynasty, after Galileo and Sea The Stars, and followed in his sire and grandsire’s footsteps by taking this coveted race.
Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions said, “It is an honour to stand a horse of the quality of Masar. He won the race we all strive to win but had the speed to beat a G2-winning sprinter on his six-furlong debut before going on to win the G3 Solario Stakes.
"He became the first Derby winner to wear the Godolphin blue and beat Champion Roaring Lion all three times they met. From one of the best families in the Studbook, he had a higher juvenile rating than his illustrious relatives Galileo and Sea The Stars. Prudent breeders will have him on their list”
Fees for Too Darn Hot and Masar will be announced at a later date.
