Notional's surgery goes well

Notional underwent successful surgery to repair a condylar fracture in his lower left front cannon bone Sunday morning and will be returned to California to recuperate "in a week or two," trainer Doug O'Neill said Monday.

The surgery, performed by Dr. Larry Bramlage at the Rood and Riddle equine clinic in Lexington, Ky., involved at least one compression screw and went "extremely well," according to O'Neill. "Dr. Bramlage is very, very optimistic the colt will be able to resume training later on this year."

Referring to a Grade 1 race on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, O'Neill said, "Malibu, here we come."

Until the injury, Notional, owned by J. Paul Reddam, had been a major contender for the Kentucky Derby after winning the San Rafael and Risen Star and finishing second to Scat Daddy in the March 31 Florida Derby. A California-bred son of In Excess, he was injured during a gallop Saturday at Keeneland.