by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Washington, PA — Agent Q extended her winning streak and Idyllic Beach snapped her losing streak, as two of the glamor girls in the 3-year-old filly pacers division each won a Pennsylvania Sires Stake split in Saturday’s $142,404 Romola Hanover at The Meadows.

Agent Q entered the Romola Hanover off four straight wins, including the Mistletoe Shalee and a sweep of her Lynch elimination and the final. Her rivals weren’t beating the daughter of Western Terror-Teenage Paige, but would post nine do her in Saturday?

Agent Q wins her fifth consecutive race in PASS action on Saturday at The Meadows.

It turned out to be no problem as she dropped in fourth for David Miller, moved to the lead first-over down the backside and held off Caviart Ally by a half-length in 1:51.1. Early leader Way Bettor earned show. Agent Q, who has missed the ticket only once in 20 career outings, extended her lifetime bankroll to $889,530 for Martin Scharf, Rochetti Cassar Racing and Robert Muscara.

“You never like to draw nine, but we still thought we had a good shot,” said winning trainer Aaron Lambert. “She’s right on her game now. She’s been good for a long time. Hopefully she can stay that way.”

The Dan Patch Award winner as a 2-year-old, Idyllic Beach hadn’t been performing badly, yet she had managed to lose six straight races, albeit to top competition. Adding Lasix for the Romola Hanover, she stalked Bettor’s Up from the pocket, then blew by in the lane to score by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.3. A pair of long shots — Risky Romance and Terrortina — completed the ticket.

“Bleeding definitely didn’t help her, although I’m not sure it was the only thing,” said winning driver Yannick Gingras. “It’s a tough group of fillies — that’s probably part of the reason, too. She raced really good today, and hopefully she moves forward from here.”

Jimmy Takter conditions Idyllic Beach, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Idyllic who vaulted over $800,000 in career earnings, for Christina Takter, John Fielding, Brixton Medical Inc. and Marvin Katz.

The PASS championships for 3-year-olds are set for Sept. 3 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Chris Gooden photos

Defending divisional champion Idyllic Beach reaches the winner’s circle after six consecutive losses.

$60,000 PA Stallion Series, 3-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Freakonomics starred in Saturday’s co-feature when she triumphed in 1:51.1, matching Dismissal’s stake record. Miss Jones and Ella Christina took the other splits, with Tim Tetrick enjoying a stake double behind Freakonomics and Ella Christina.

Freakonomics dueled for the early lead in a demanding :26.4, but she drew off to down Perplexed by 4-1/2 lengths. Someomensomewhere completed the ticket.

“I got an okay second-quarter breather,” Tetrick said. “From there on, it was her race to win or lose, and she responded well. She locked up on a line in the Adioo Volo here; today, she was straight as a string.”

Ross Croghan trains the daughter of Western Terror-Mind Boggling, who pushed her career bankroll to $120,298, for Let It Ride Stables and Dana Parham.

Ella Christina pulled off a 56-1 shocker in the Adioo Volo, and she showed her fondness for The Meadows again when she swung wide through the stretch and prevailed in 1:53.1 for trainer Nick Surick and owners Nick Surick Stable, J.L. Benson Stables, William Daggett, Jr. and Lawrence Vukovic. Beach Club shot the Lightning Lane for second, three-quarters of a length back, with the first-up Traceuse Hanover third.

“I was in a pretty good spot at the quarter, but by the five-eighths, I was in a bad spot again,” Tetrick said. “I got to slide out, come around, and she got it done.”

Miss Jones, who was highly regarded by trainer Joe Holloway and owners Crawford Farms Racing, Val D’Or Farms and Ted Gewertz, missed nearly two months when veterinarians discovered a problem with the middle joint of her right hind hock.

“We sent her to the University of Pennsylvania for a bone scan, and they picked it up,” Holloway said. “She was still a little bit off today but not horribly gaited. Maybe we can salvage a little bit of the year.”

In her comeback race Saturday, the daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Dreams Are Great edged the pocket-sitting Bridge To Tomorrow by a nose to lift her career bankroll to $110,453. Emily R Hanover was third.

The Meadows will host all eight stallion series championships, each with a purse of $40,000, on Saturday (Sept. 2).

Elsewhere on the card, Mr Wiggle Pants was a powerful 4-3/4-length victor in 1:50.2 for Aaron Merriman in the $20,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace. The 4-year-old son of Mr Wiggles-Shani Pants now has earned $353,156 for trainer Scott McEneny and owner Bradley Grant.