Fierceness © Benoit Photo

He was only at Del Mar for a week but he made such a good impression while he was here that he’s earn top honors for the summer meet. Fierceness, winner of the G1 Pacific Classic, has been voted 2025 Horse of the Meet by the writers and broadcasters in the track’s Media Poll. 

Fierceness is based in New York and was a welcome addition to the Pacific Classic when trainer Todd Pletcher made the decision to ship him out West. The winner of the 2024 G1 Travers at Saratoga and runner-up to Sierra Leone in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar a few months later, shipped in the Tuesday before the big race then proceeded to outrun Journalism in the 35th running of the Pacific Classic. 

Owned by Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Michael B. Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, the son of City of Light was also named Top Older Horse of the meet. Three other horses garnered votes for Horse of the Meet. They were Formidable Man, Om N Joy and Lovesick Blues.

Formidable Man was named Top Grass Horse for his impressive victories in the G2 Eddie Read and the G2 Del Mar Mile. Trained by Michael McCarthy, the son of City of Light is owned by William K. Warren, Jr. and Susanne Warren. He was ridden by Umberto Rispoli.

The G1 Clement L. Hirsch winner Seismic Beauty captured Top Older Filly/Mare. Trained by Bob Baffert, the daughter of Uncle Mo is one of three champions at this year’s meet for the Hall of Fame conditioner, 

The winner of the G1 Bing Crosby, Lovesick Blues, grabbed the Top Sprinter award. The Cal-bred son of Grazen was an 18-1 longshot in the ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He’s owned and trained by movie producer/conditioner Librado Barocio and was ridden by Geovanni Franco.

The Top 3-Year-Old honors go to The Padre, a two-time winner at the meet. The Irish-bred won the $100,000 La Jolla Handicap, then came back four weeks later to take the G2 Del Mar Derby. Umberto Rispoli rode him in both of victories. He hails from the Phil D’Amato barn.

The Top 3-Year-Old Filly is Velocity, the longshot winner of the G1 Del Mar Oaks. The Nyquist filly out of the Michael McCarthy barn was 35-1 when they popped the gates in the Oaks. Ricky Gonzalez was her rider.

Bob Baffert came to Del Mar with a herd of top prospects and went on to dominate the Juvenile Division. Baffert trains the summer meet’s Top 2-Year-Old Filly, G1 Debutante winner Bottle of Rouge, and the Top 2-Year-Old, the $3-million baby Brant, who won the G1 Futurity.