Great Notion continues long reign in Maryland

Great Notion led Maryland’s general sire list for the fifth consecutive year in 2023, with progeny whose longevity is helping him continue to dominate this market.

Great Notion stands at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, which also guided the career of legendary state stalwart Not For Love. Coming up in the ranks behind that late stablemate, Great Notion, who entered stud in 2005, has been among Maryland’s top five general sires every year since 2015. He took over atop the list in 2019 and has led each year since. In 2023, his progeny earned $5,982,569, easily outdistancing yet another Northview resident, the younger Golden Lad in second with $3,711,105.

Great Notion also is the highest-ranking living North American stallion outside of Kentucky by progeny recording benchmark Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or higher. According to the Daily Racing Form’s exclusive stallion metrics, the Beyer Sire Performance Standings, Great Notion’s runners turned in 23 Beyers to meet that mark last season.

One of the hallmarks of Great Notion’s stud career has been consistent runners who stick around for a long time. Among his 44 career stakes winners, he has produced the likes of Anna’s Bandit, who retired in 2021 as her sire’s top earner, having won 11 stakes in a six-year career; and Havelock, who also raced six years and tallied five graded stakes wins.

Great Notion’s seven stakes winners in 2023 followed in that mold. Fille d’Esprit was a Grade 3-placed stakes winner at age 7; Breezy Gust won 4 of 6 starts as a 6-year-old and never missed the board; Alwaysinahurry has now won stakes at ages 4, 5, and 6; Witty, won two stakes at age 4 to make himself a stakes winner in three straight seasons; Coastal Mission and Twisted Ride were multiple stakes winners at age 4; and Great Spirit captured a pair of stakes at Charles Town as a 3-year-old filly.

Great Notion, a 24-year-old son of Elusive Quality, is preparing to stand the 2024 breeding season for a fee of $7,500.

Pennsylvania welcomes Preakness winner back to region

Pennsylvania’s Pin Oak Lane Farm celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. Owned and managed by Dr. William Solomon, the farm welcomes a Preakness Stakes winner back to the Mid-Atlantic region this year.

Cloud Computing is relocating from Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky to stand the 2024 season at Pin Oak Lane. Located in New Freedom, near the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line, the farm is a little less than an hour from Pimlico Race Course, where Cloud Computing notched the biggest win of his career, edging champion Classic Empire to win the 2017 Preakness Stakes.

Cloud Computing has sired 83 winners from 174 starters in his first two crops of racing age, led by 2023 Super Derby winner Big Data, stakes winners Louisiana Liberty and Neural Network, and multiple graded stakes-placed I’m Very Busy.

His 2023 progeny earnings of $2,771,933 placed him third on the Pennsylvania general sire list, regardless of progeny conception area. Warrior’s Reward, standing at WynOaks Farm, leads the way with progeny earnings of $3,184,951, while Blackstone Farm resident Uptowncharlybrown is next at $2,812,798.

Cloud Computing will stand his first Pennsylvania season for $3,500. Pin Oak Lane is offering a discount to $3,000 for those sending two mares to any Pin Oak Lane stallions, or $2,500 for three or more mares.