Collected © Benoit Photo

A wire-to-wire victory in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, withstanding the late charge of stablemate Arrogate by a half-length, earned Collected the honor of Horse of the Meeting for 2017 in a vote of Del Mar media.

A 4-year-old chestnut son of City Zip, Collected provided trainer Bob Baffert with his fifth Pacific Class victory, one short of Bobby Frankel’s record, and the Speedway Stable LLC partnership of Peter and Ann Fluor and Kane C. Weiner with a win from their first Classic starter. The $600,000 winner’s share of the purse boosted the career earnings of Collected to more than $1.2 million from eight wins in 11 career starts.

As a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Pacific Classic victory assured Collected a spot in the climactic event of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships when Del Mar serves as the host venue for the first time on November 3-4.

Collected was also voted top older horse of the meeting.

Two other horses who provided convincing victories on Pacific Classic Day also won divisional honors. Hunt, who followed up a victory in the Grade I Eddie Read on the opening weekend of the meet, took the Del Mar Handicap to secure top grass horse honors and eastern shipper Dream Dancing won the Del Mar Oaks to garner the top 3-year-old filly honor.

The voters were unanimous on Del Mar Debutante winner Moonshine Memories in the 2-year-old filly category and nearly so on Del Mar Futurity winner Bolt d’Oro.

The closest vote came in the sprinter division where Bing Crosby winner Ransom the Moon edged Pat O’Brien victor Giant Expectations. Stellar Wind (older filly/mare) and Sharp Samurai (3-year-old) were selected by large margins. Stellar Wind won the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes and took older filly/mare honors for the second year in a row. Sharp Samurai won the La Jolla Handicap and Del Mar Derby, the second and third legs of the grass stakes series for 3-year-olds.