Pocono: Agent Q thumps her rivals in Lynch final

8-5 second choice Agent Q powered away from her rivals after taking the lead from first-over to score a decisive victory in the $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Brazuca (Corey Callahan) got the lead in the early going, but post nine starter Idyllic Beach (Yannick Gingras) moved up to her outside and grabbed the lead just past the 26 1/5 opening quarter. Agent Q (David Miller) was in the fourth position at that point, but she would be guided first-over before Idyllic Beach clicked off the half in 55 2/5. Fan Hanover winner Bettor's Up (Doug McNair) grabbed the cover to sit second-over, and 6-5 favorite Tequila Monday (Brian Sears) sat third-over.

Agent Q would get to within half a length of Idyllic Beach at the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, then edged in front on the outside on the final bend. Once the fillies straightened up for home Agent Q took over for good, and she would kick away to score by about four lengths over Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy), a 99-1 shot. Brazuca was third, followed by Bettor's Up and Idyllic Beach.

"My filly, she's pretty game, and I took my shot coming first-up with her," David Miller said. "I felt good (on the final turn). My filly still had a nice hold of me, and Yannick just asked his filly. I was getting to her pretty easy, so I thought we were going to be in good shape unless somebody out the back got us. She raced well.

"She is very sharp right now. The track might be a bit heavy and maybe a little tiring to some of them, but she's very good right now."

The victorious filly by Western Terror is trained by Aaron Lambert for owners Martin Scharf, Rochetti Cassar Racing, and Robert Muscara. Agent Q made her seventh winner's circle appearance, and she has now put away $736,635. She paid $5.40 to win.