Performances by female runners were the most impressive to the media in Del Mar’s 2015 Summer Meeting and the victories by Beholder in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes and TVG Pacific Classic were the most impressive of all.

 

Beholder, the 5-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes, a two-time Eclipse Award winner for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, was the unanimous choice in media voting as the 2015 Horse of the Meeting and top older filly or mare.

 

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, Beholder romped home a seven-length winner against her own gender in the Clement L. Hirsch, then routed nine males by 8 ¼ lengths – the second-biggest margin in race history – in becoming the first female to win in 25 runnings of the Pacific Classic.

 

The other unanimous vote was to Songbird as top 2-year-old filly. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, won a maiden race by 6 ½ lengths in July and then pulled away in the stretch for a 5 ¼-length victory in the Del Mar Debutante under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.

 

Bing Crosby winner and Pat O’Brien runner-up Wild Dude took top sprinter honors over O’Brien winner Appealing Tale. Eddie Read victor Gabriel Charles edged Del Mar Handicap victor Big John B. San Diego Handicap winner and Pacific Classic runner-up Catch a Flight outpolled Beholder and Big John B in the top older horse category.  Gimme Da Lute, with victories in the Real Good Deal and El Cajon Stakes, took top 3-year-old honors and Del Mar Oaks winner Sharla Rae prevailed in the 3-year-old filly category. The top 2-year-old was Best Pal Stakes and Del Mar Futurity winner Nyquist.

 

 

Horse of the Meet	Beholder
Top older Horse	Catch a Flight
Top older filly or mare	Beholder
Top sprinter	Wild Dude
Top grass horse	Gabriel Charles
Top 3-year-old filly	Sharla Rae
Top 3-year-old	Gimme Da Lute
Top 2-year-old filly	Songbird
Top 2-year-old	Nyquist