Peppers Pride makes it 15 in a row

Fifteen and counting.

Peppers Pride moved within one victory of the modern-day consecutive win streak as she notched her 15th straight victory in Sunday's $100,000 Sydney Valentini Handicap at Sunland Park.

The defending champ, who carried high weight of 125 pounds, stalked the pace of Wild Gini and Complete Pride, pitched wide into the lane in the mile contest for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares, and powered home to win by 1 1/4 lengths, keeping her record perfect with 15 wins in as many starts.

Owned by Joseph Allen and trained by Joel Marr, Peppers Pride is now within one victory of tying Citation, Mister Frisky, Cigar, and Hallowed Dreams at 16 consecutive victories. She paid $3 as the heavy favorite and ran the mile in 1:38.13 under regular rider Carlos Madeira. A 5-year-old old daughter of Desert God, Peppers Pride earned $60,000, pushing her career earnings to $816,665 from 15 wins in as many starts.

Theregoesdancer, who has made a career out of chasing Peppers Pride the past couple of seasons, sat back early and ran on smartly to be second. Wild Gini, part of the early pace, finished third in the field of seven.

Peppers Pride may attempt to tie the record in the New Mexico Distaff Handicap at SunRay Park in May.