jonquil

Well, you're not wrong, but with 3yo milers it just tends to mean they've grown over the winter. Horses that were precocious, but don't grow physically as 3yos can struggle or at least find it harder to repeat their early form. I'm not saying this is necessarily the case for Too Darn Hot, but most Galileo offspring really begin to shine at 3 years old.

Some horses take longer than others to show their potential, and I'm sure O'Brien would best know what distance seems best as he sees the colt training every day. It feels like there hasn't been any one standout this year to me at least. To be fair, Too Darn Hot has been consistent in hitting the board. He's still a very good colt and he's already 2yo champion. He was already guaranteed a spot at stud after last year.

Glad to hear he's doing better.

His tail-female line is a prominent German family tracing back to Liebeslied, the 1956 3yo champion filly in Germany who scored an impressive list of victories during her racing career including the 1956 German 1000 Guineas and 1956 German Oaks. Her daughter, Lis, repeated the German Guineas-Oaks double in 1963 and as a broodmare produced Literat and Laccario's ancestress, Liberty. Liberty in turn produced 1976 German 1,000 Guineas winner, Licata. Licata's offspring included Laurea, the dam of 1993 and 1994 German Derby winners Lando and Laroche. Laurea is not only Laccario's 3rd dam, but also prominent in his sire's pedigree through her son Lando. Lis also features heavily in his pedigree thanks to her son Literat being the sire of the prolific German sire Surumu who was the sire of Acatenango and also broodmare sire for Lomitas (and, although he doesn't feature here, broodmare sire of Monsun). Laccario's pedigree is filled with German Derby and Oaks winners and after this latest win, there's no doubt he's being aimed at the upcoming German Derby.

Won the G2 Sparkasse KölnBonn-Union-Rennen by 2 1/2 lengths to Bavarian Classic winner Django Freeman with Dr. Busch Memorial winner Winterfuchs a further 1 3/4 lengths back in 3rd!

Won the Coronation Cup by 1/2 length to Kew Garden in 2nd! So pleased to see him finally land that G1.

Rather than Phoenix Of Spain's win being the the fluke, isn't it that you feel Too Darn Hot's loss was a fluke? I mean that part I think is a distinct possibility. Too Darn Hot's been impressive even when unlucky this year and hopefully it's a matter of time before he can turn things around. That said, Phoenix Of Spain winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas on his first start of the year is impressive in itself and I don't feel I know enough of his form this year to actually outright state which colt is better between him and Too Darn Hot. I definitely want a rematch between the two. My main problem with your original comment was the part where you claimed Magna Grecia comfortably beat Phoenix Of Spain. That win was a narrow one and anything but comfortable. As for Too Darn Hot, he was a well-deserving 2yo champion and Phoenix Of Spain was not disgraced in defeat to him at all.

Wins the G1 Prix Saint-Alary by a length to Olendon in 2nd with Imperial Charm a further 1/2 length back in 3rd! She is now undefeated 3 for 3.

Won the Listed Aengevelt Derby-Trial by 3 1/4 lengths to Nirvana Dschingis in 2nd!

Magna Grecia certainly did not "comfortably beat" Phoenix Of Spain. He barely held on by a head in a fight to the finish. Too Darn Hot won a bit more comfortably, by 1 3/4 lengths. Even if he doesn't repeat this impressive win in his next race I think it's pretty clear this was no fluke. He's been consistently in the top 2 in multiple graded stakes now. That kind of consistency only ever happens in horses that are already capable of winning at that level against the best of their peers.