Too Darn Hot impressive in winning Prix Jean Prat

Too Darn Hot confirmed his status as a brilliant sprinter with a win in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Jean Prat for 3-year-old colts and fillies at seven furlongs at Deauville, France.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Too Darn Hot (4-5) tracked the pace for the first five furlongs before taking the lead with more than a furlong remaining. Too Darn Hot was quickly clear and won by three lengths over 3-1 Space Blues, who was second in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 22.

English trainers swept the first three positions. Too Darn Hot is trained by John Gosden for Andrew Lloyd-Webber, while Space Blues is trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin Racing. Space Blues finished two lengths clear of Fox Champion, trained by Richard Hannon.

The $448,720 Prix Jean Prat ended a three-race losing streak in longer races for Too Darn Hot, Europe’s leading 2-year-old male last year.

Earlier this year, Too Darn Hot was second in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at 1 5/16 miles at York on May 16, second in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas at a mile at The Curragh on May 26, and third in the Group 1 St. James’s Palace Stakes at a mile at Royal Ascot on June 18.

Last year, Too Darn Hot won three seven-furlong races, including the Grade 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October.

The Prix Jean Prat was Too Darn Hot’s first start in France. He could be back there later this summer. Gosden said Too Darn Hot is a candidate for two Group 1 races at a mile – the $1.32 million Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in England on July 31 or the $1.12 million Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 11.

Sea of Class has colic surgery, is retired

Sea of Class, a four-time stakes winner who was a game second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp last October, underwent colic surgery in England on Wednesday and was in guarded condition over the weekend, trainer William Haggas told the British press on Sunday.

Haggas said Sea of Class remains at a veterinary clinic undergoing treatment. She will not race again, he said.

A 4-year-old by Sea The Stars, Sea of Class won 4 of 7 starts, including two Group 1 races last summer – the Irish Oaks at The Curragh in July and the Yorkshire Oaks at York in August. In the Arc de Triomphe, Sea of Class was beaten a short neck by Enable after racing in traffic in the stretch.

In her only start this year, Sea of Class finished fifth in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19.

Laccario wins German Derby

Laccario, the 2-1 favorite, won Sunday’s Group 1 German Derby for colts and fillies at 1 1/2 miles at Hamburg Racecourse for his first win at the highest level.

Ridden by Eduardo Pedroza for trainer Andreas Wohler, Laccario finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Django Freeman. Laccario and Django Freeman were first and second in the Group 2 Union-Rennin in Cologne last month.

Laccario won his fourth consecutive start in the German Derby and gave Pedroza his first win in the race. Wohler has won the race on five occasions.