Notional, a three-time graded stakes winner, has been retired from racing, according to Daily Racing Form.
The 4-year-old son of In Excessbroke a coffin bone in his left front foot while finishing fourth in the July 26 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga. He had won the July 5 Salvator Mile Handicap (gr. III) at Monmouth Park in his previous start.
Notional was one of the stars on last year’s Triple Crown trail. He won the San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita and Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds and ran a strong second in the Florida Derby (gr. I). He later suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture of his left ankle at Keeneland and didn’t run again until this year.
Campaigned by J. Paul Reddam, Notional won or placed in seven of a dozen races and earned $733,240. He was bred in California by Vessels Stallion Farm and bought by Dennis O’Neill for $235,000 at the 2006 Barretts March sale of 2-year-olds in training from Scanlon Training Center, agent. O’Neill’s brother, Doug O’Neill, trained him before Mark Hennig took charge prior to the Salvator Mile.
Notional is out of the winning French Deputy mare Truly Blessed. Breeding plans are undecided.