Great Notion

The same trainer-jockey combination Whit Beckman and Tyler Gaffalione teaming up with GI Preakness entrant Ocelli later in Saturday's card, enjoyed a victory earlier in the day when Bring the Smoke got up just in time to take the GIII Maryland Sprint Stakes at Laurel. The most lightly-raced 4-year-old with only three prior starts under his belt, Bring the Smoke, getting blinkers off this time, was given a 7-1 chance while stepping into black-type company for the first time in his career. Breaking from Post 1, he was pinned back...

Northview Stallion Station has pensioned Great Notion (Elusive Quality) ahead of the 2026 breeding season. A top stallion in Maryland, Great Notion, who will turn 26-years-old Jan. 1, sired 55 stakes winners led by MGSW Future Is Now, MGSW Havelock and millionaire GSW Coastal Mission. On the track, the son of Elusive Quality broke his maiden on debut at Churchill Downs for Silverton Hill and trainer Darrin Miller. Silverton Hill, who purchased Great Notion as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2001 for $82,000, raced him across the country, winning...

With a resume of graded stakes-placed experience anchored by a runner-up try in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a 10-for-10 lifetime record at Laurel Park that included a 17-length blowout in an open-company stakes there last month, Post Time (Frosted) figured to deserve his formidable 1-10 favoritism in the six-horse feature on Saturday's 40th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million program for the offspring of stallions standing in Maryland. But even though the 12-time winner enjoyed a decided advantage on paper in the $150,000 Classic Stakes over 1...

She's the queen of turf speed at Saratoga and it's her summer we get to witness. Future Is Now (Great Notion) has now claimed seven wins from her last nine starts with a sparkling defense of her title in the Listed Smart And Fancy Stakes Friday afternoon. Not off the board since mid-May of last year, the Great Notion mare has taken home the hardware in four graded races and hit the board in two others. Her last start July 19 at this venue was a half-length victory in the...

A Great Notion colt owned by Ann Merryman was selected as grand champion at the 91st annual MHBA Yearling Show at the Timonium Fairgrounds June 29. The show's champion is out of Sista, a winning Two Punch mare Merryman co-bred and trained, then retired to her broodmare band. Sista is the dam of four named foals, including Maryland Million Sprint Turf winner Fiya, who Merryman sold the 3-year-old gelding for $400,000 at the Wanamaker's sale in 2020. The son of Great Notion took the blue ribbon in the first class...

Featuring 29 horses and stallion seasons, the catalogue for the 2025 Inglis Digital USA March Sale is headlined by the half-sister to the dam of the reigning Horse of the Year, the auction house announced Friday. Among the notables on offer is Lady Eliana (Tapizar), a half-sister to the dam of 'TDN Rising Star' 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), who is being offered as a broodmare prospect. Other notable names include SW Bank On Anna (Central Banker); Fleet Frost (Frosted), who hails from a busy female...

In the flourishing digital age, people can buy pretty much anything they want online. And while offering 2-year-olds online is nothing new for the Fasig-Tipton team, selling a juvenile in training on a digital platform accompanied by many of the traditional resources seen at bricks-and-mortar sales is. Case in point: at the conclusion of the February Digital sale Tuesday evening, a 2-year-old colt by Yaupon out of MSW Frosty Margarita (Frost Giant) realized a session-topping $250,000 from Dennis O'Neill, bidding on behalf of Shane Yeager. Consigned by De Meric Sales,...

32 offerings complete the catalogue for the 2025 Inglis Digital USA February Sale which opened Friday and goes through Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. Offerings include Suga Steve (Goldencents), a 4-year-old colt who enters on a three-race winning streak by a combined 16 1/2 lengths. Suga Steve most recently won a six-furlong allowance race on Jan. 24 at Laurel Park. Also available as a racing prospect is a 2-year-old Complexity filly being offered out of the Tapizar mare Caroline County and from the family of multiple Peruvian champion Ole...

For the first time in his 17-year stud career, Northview's Great Notion surpassed $6 million in progeny earnings in one year, joining Not For Love as the only other Maryland stallion to hit that mark when the farm's legendary sire did it back-to-back in 2008 and 2009, according to a press release on Thursday from Northview Stallion Station. Great Notion and Golden Lad, who is also on Northview's roster, ended 2024 as the Mid-Atlantic region's leading general sire and juvenile sire respectively. Both stallions hit career milestones last year. With...

Northview Stallion Station released its stud fees for the 2025 season. Engage (Into Michief--Nefertiti, by Speightstown) and Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro--Dance Card, by Tapit) head next year's roster at $5,000 LF. Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro) will stand for $4,500 LF, with a pair slated to command $3,500--Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) and Uncle Lino (Uncle Mo). Galawi (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will stand for $2,000 LF, while a private fee is set for First Mondays (Curlin). Maryland's leading stallion Great Notion (Elusive Quality--Evening Primrose, by Dayjur) is booked full for the season. Additionally,...

Sunday's GII Franklin Stakes was a tale of two trips. On one hand, Larry Johnson's Future Is Now (Great Notion), exiting post 5, benefitted from a rail-hugging trip that blossomed into a well-timed opening that propelled her to the front in early stretch and on to victory. On the other end, Godolphin's Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) didn't appear a touch sluggish while leaving post 1 and gradually got shuffled to the back of the 12-horse field, necessitating a giant run if there was any hope to even get...

Horses owned by their breeders swept all eight of the stakes on the 39th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million program Saturday at Laurel Park. Brilliant Ice, a 5-year-old gelding owned and bred by Crystal Park Stables, marched up on the outside from mid-pack, then slipped through at the rail to seize the lead at the head of the lane before drawing away to a 5 1/4-length victory in the featured $150,000 Classic S. at 1 1/8 miles. The 5-1 win by Brilliant Ice represented the second Maryland Million stakes score...