Trainer Anthony Lynch nets first career victory

Young trainer Anthony Lynch after Queen of Cause prevailed at Laurel Park to give him his first victory. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.
Frank Davino’s Queen of Cause came flying down the center of the track to catch pacesetter Stiva in deep stretch and edge clear in the second race at Laurel Park Saturday, giving trainer Anthony Lynch his first career victory.
Queen of Cause ($31.60) completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.56 over a firm All Along turf course in the waiver maiden claiming event for fillies and mares 3 and up. It was the first grass race of the season as live racing resumed in Maryland for the first time since March 15.
“It’s amazing. I want to cry so bad right now,” an emotional Lynch said. “I just have to thank everyone that’s ever been with me as a trainer and been with me since I was a little kid. It means a lot.”
Lynch, 18, is a son of Laurel-based trainer Cal Lynch who works for his father along with his older brother, Charlie. Queen of Cause made her first three starts last fall for Cal Lynch before being turned over to Anthony Lynch this year.
“His mom and I couldn’t be more proud,” Cal Lynch said. “We appreciate Frank and Joe [Davino] giving a young guy this opportunity.”
Anthony Lynch was fifth with his first career starter, Alphastest, Jan. 18 at Laurel. Queen of Cause, a 3-year-old daughter of Creative Cause, was his eighth runner.
Queen of Cause was bumped early and raced next-to-last in the field of 10 through a half-mile as Stiva posted fractions of 22.75 and 46.22 seconds. Jockey Jorge Ruiz swung Queen of Cause outside where she circled the field entering the stretch and set her sights on the leader, closing ground steadily to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths.
“I knew she was fit and I knew that she had trained very, very well coming into this race. I expected her to run very well and she proved it today,” Lynch said, unsure of how he would celebrate the milestone. “There’s not much to do with the quarantine, but we’ll find something.”
LATEST MARYLAND NEWS
Argyle and Thoroughbred racing in the 1830s
Connected to Supreme Court justices and governors, the Maryland-bred Argyle became one of the best horses of the 1830s. His story.
Mid-Atlantic three stars: July 7, 2025
Your five-minute read to catch up on racing highlights from around the Mid-Atlantic this past week!
Laurel Park: Latest jockey and trainer stats
Which Laurel Park jockeys and trainers are having a good meet? Who’s doing better than you’d think? Or heating up now? Answers within.
Great Notion colt takes top honors at MHBA Yearling Show
A Great Notion colt took the top spot and the Merryman family dominated at Sunday’s 91st annual Maryland Horse Breeders Association Yearling Show.
Md-breds Mindframe, Romeo take Churchill stakes
Maryland-breds thrived in Kentucky, with Mindframe winning the G1 Stephen Foster and 2yo Romeo upsetting the Bashford Manor.
LRL: Bouncer takes allowance feature, 4 tie for jockey lead
When Bouncer took Sunday’s allowance feature at Laurel Park, it created a 4-way tie atop the jockey standings leaderboard for the spring meet.