Unbeaten Peppers Pride shoots for 18 in a row

Peppers Pride is the pride of New Mexico (Eugene O'Neill/Coady Photography) PEPPERS PRIDE (Desert God), who established a modern North American record for 17 consecutive wins on October 4, will try to extend her perfect record to 18 in Sunday's $170,000 New Mexico Cup Fillies and Mares S. The one-mile test for distaffers is one of 11 stakes, seven for Thoroughbreds, on New Mexico Cup Day at Zia Park. With total purses of $1.85 million, it ranks as the richest day of state-bred racing at any track. Bred and owned by Joe Allen, 12-time stakes queen Peppers Pride has raced exclusively against fellow New Mexico-bred fillies and mares. Her 17 straight victories broke the previous mark of 16 shared by 1948 Triple Crown legend Citation, 1995-96 Horse of the Year Cigar, 1990 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Mister Frisky and Louisiana-bred star Hallowed Dreams.

On Sunday, the five-year-old Peppers Pride will be competing in her fourth

straight New Mexico Cup. The Joel Marr trainee captured the 2005 New Mexico Cup

Juvenile Fillies S., the 2006 New Mexico Cup Fillies S. for sophomores and the

2007 edition of the Fillies and Mares. The defending champion has been installed

as the 4-5 morning-line favorite with regular rider Carlos Madeira. LET THE

MUSICBEGIN (Chimes Band), who was third to Peppers Pride in last year's running,

rates as the 3-1 second choice in the eight-horse field.

The other Thoroughbred stakes on the card are the $180,000

New

Mexico Cup Classic S., a one-mile affair featuring reigning titleholder SOME

GHOST (Ghostly Moves); the $170,000

New

Mexico Cup Classic Championship Sprint S., headlined by defending champion

HIGHLAND'S BEST (Highland Park); the $140,000

New

Mexico Cup Colts and Geldings S. for three-year-olds; the $140,000

New Mexico Cup Fillies S. for sophomores; the $140,000

New

Mexico Cup Juvenile Colts and Geldings S.; and the $140,000

New Mexico Cup Juvenile Fillies S.