In racing, greatness is often measured by comparison. And when it comes to race records, few two-year-olds in modern times have captured attention like Too Darn Hot - until Pinatubo came along.
Both were unbeaten at two. Both crowned Champion Two-Year-Olds in Europe. Both lit up the turf with raw brilliance and acceleration, leaving top-class fields trailing. But here's what makes the comparison more than just surface-deep:
- Starts | Pinatubo: 10 | Too Darn Hot: 9
- Wins | Pinatubo: 7 | Too Darn Hot: 6
- G1 wins | Pinatubo: 3 | Too Darn Hot: 3
- Timeform rating | Pinatubo: 134 | Too Darn Hot: 127
- Champion 2YO in Europe | ✅ Both
- G1 Dewhurst winner | ✅ Both
- G1 Prix Jean Prat winner | ✅ Both
At two, Pinatubo was virtually untouchable. His nine-length demolition in the G1 National Stakes was one of the most dominant juvenile performances in European racing this century. Timeform gave him a peak rating of 134 - the highest awarded to a two-year-old this millennium, surpassing Frankel (133) and yes, even Too Darn Hot (126 at two).
Too Darn Hot may have been more precocious early in his three-year-old season, but Pinatubo’s G1 win in the Prix Jean Prat - the same race Too Darn Hot won was a powerful reminder of his class. Both defeated G1 milers in that race and bounced back after Guinea's placings.
For breeders looking to tap into elite, precocious European speed and class - Pinatubo is delivering the blueprint we’ve already seen succeed with Too Darn Hot. Timeform figures. Juvenile dominance. Dewhurst winners. Prix Jean Prat winners. Almost identical records, but Pinatubo rated higher, earned more at two, and arguably beat deeper fields.