Great Notion, Friesan Fire have emerged atop Maryland stallions

Great Notion and Friesan Fire have emerged as leaders in Maryland’s sire ranks following the pensioning and death of the state’s titan, Not For Love. Their reign continued in 2018, as they were again the leading general sires by earnings.

Great Notion, who stands at Northview Stallion Station, was represented by 58 winners from 99 starters in 2018, a solid 59 percent strike rate, for progeny earnings of $3,774,322, edging Friesan Fire at $3,309,064. Great Notion’s leading earner for the season was his daughter Ruby Notion, who won the Caress Stakes at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint before finishing a creditable fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Great Notion also sired Maryland Million Turf one-two finishers Talk Show Man and Phlash Phelps, Maryland Million Distaff winner Crabcakes, and Maryland Million Sprint winner Lewisfield. Talk Show Man repeated after winning the 2014 renewal of the Turf and also finishing third in 2017. In doing so, he defeated Phlash Phelps, who won the race in 2015 and 2016.

Crabcakes won the Distaff for the second consecutive year; she also was the winner of the 2016 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship.

Friesan Fire’s four stakes winners on the season were led by Army Mule, unbeaten winner of the Grade 1 Carter Handicap, and Call Paul, winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

◗ Grade 2-placed Tritap, by leading sire Tapit, stood only two seasons at stud before his death. But the late Heritage Stallions sire has shown he is set to make an impact from limited opportunity, finishing as Maryland’s leading freshman sire of 2018 and checking in 10th nationally. Tritap had 28 live foals in his first crop, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred, and was represented by 10 winners from 17 starters last year. He covered 13 mares in 2016 before his death.