Top Maryland stallion Great Notion pensioned
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Great Notion, one of the most successful sires in Maryland history, has been pensioned, Northview Stallion Station has announced. The 25-year-old son of Elusive Quality will remain at the Chesapeake City farm, where he has resided for more than two decades, to live out his retirement.
A Grade 1-placed stakes winner, Great Notion retired to Northview for the 2005 season. He has led the Maryland general sire list eight times, including every year since 2018, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. He is poised to collect another title in 2025, leading the general sire list by a margin of more than $1 million over Cupid, a Kentucky transplant who does not yet have Maryland-sired runners.
Great Notion’s 2025 seasonal bankroll stands at $4,772,264 through Nov. 19. He surpassed $5 million in annual progeny earnings in 2023 and exceeded $6 million in 2024, the first Maryland stallion to reach that mark in more than a decade.
“Great Notion has been nothing short of transformational for breeding in Maryland,” David Wade, Northview’s general manager, said in a release. “His ability to upgrade mares, his consistency year after year, and the sheer quality of his runners have elevated our entire regional program. Retiring him now is simply doing right by the horse. He’s earned every comfort we can give him, and his impact will continue to be felt for generations.”
Great Notion is the sire of 55 career stakes winners to date, according to Equineline statistics. Those include graded stakes-winning millionaire Coastal Mission, multiple graded stakes winner Future Is Now, and additional graded stakes winners Havelock and Ruby Notion. He is also a staple in regional stakes, with at least one winner on the Maryland Million card for 16 consecutive years.
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