The result in the $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial Final at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono today (Sunday) is a result for the Sunshine State.
Queensland born horsemen Aaron Lambert and Noel Daley provided the top two finishers with Agent Q defeating Caviart Ally by three lengths in a time of 1:51.0 in the North American three-year-old feature.
The mile was covered in 26.1, 29.1, 27.4 and 27.4 seconds.
Agent Q, prepared by Lambert and driven by star reinsman David Miller, was the second elect in betting ($1.70) behind Tequila Monday ($1.20) while Caviart Ally driven by Andy McCarthy, a 196-1 longshot, finished second and 14-1 Brazuca was third.
Tequila Monday finished 8th.
Agent Q, a daughter of Western Terror out of the mare Teenage Paige, has won four of seven races this year and earned $297,931. It was her first win in an open stakes final after second-place finishes in this year’s Fan Hanover Stakes and Lismore Pace and last year’s Breeders Crown and She’s A Great Lady. The setbacks in the Fan Hanover and Breeders Crown were both by a nose.
For her career, Agent Q has won seven of 17 races, finished second nine times, and earned $736,635. She is owned by Martin Scharf, Rochetti Cassar Racing, and Robert Muscara.
Lambert was born and bred in Queensland and is the son of well-known and respected horseman Jim, who made the move to North America over a decade ago while McCarthy officially began his career in harness in the Sunshine State working for his champion father John.
Daley is no stranger to success in North America owing to the deeds of Mr Muscleman, Broad Bahn, Explosive Matter, All Speed Hanover, Cedar Dove, Impressive Kemp, My Little Dragon, Little Miss Dragon, Magic Tonight, Ideal Matters, All Laid Out, Bad Bert, Day In The Life, Memphis Flash, Perfect Son, At Point Blank and E Dee’s Cam among many others.
Both Lambert and McCarthy have combined for considerable success in recent seasons with the likes of Dynamic Youth, Townslight Hanover and Mr Massimo among others.
Daley and McCarthy were chasing a feature race victory in the $500,000 Earl Beal Jnr Memorial for the three-year-old trotters later in the program with the richly talented Sortie but unfortunately struck trouble and finished at the rear.
The race was won by Devious Man for Andy and Julie Miller in a time of 1:52.4.
Devious Man is a colt by Credit Winner.
Both Devious Man and Sortie are aiming at the $1 million Hambletonian Stakes on Aug. 5 at the Meadowlands.
Chris Barsby