H. Joseph Allen's homebred Peppers Pride, the New Mexico-bred filly who streaked to a 19-for-19 record on the track from 2005-08, was euthanized Sept. 19 due to complications with laminitis. The 16-year-old daughter of Desert God was at the Taylor family's Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky.
Peppers Pride delivered a filly by California Chrome Feb. 10. In 2018, she foaled a colt by American Pharoah named American Pepper, who was bred in Kentucky by Michael C. Stinson, Allen, and Jim Adams. Stinson purchased a half interest in Peppers Pride when her racing career was over.
The daughter of Desert God began her broodmare career at Richland Hills Farm and later moved to Taylor Made. She has had four foals start and is represented by winners Punctuate (a son of Distorted Humor who stands in New Mexico), Dad (by Malibu Moon ), and dual winner Wampus (a 4-year-old filly by Malibu Moon).
However to date, it was on the track where Peppers Pride became the pride of the Southwest for Allen and trainer Joel Marr. All her starts came in New Mexico—Ruidoso Downs, Sunland Park, SunRay Park, and Zia Park—and came at distances of 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile. She earned honors as New Mexico champion 2-year-old filly, 3-year-old filly, and was twice champion older female.
Fourteen of her starts came in stakes company, all against restricted company. She earned $1,066,085. Her biggest paydays came in the 2007 New Mexico Cup Championship Fillies and Mares Stakes ($109,200) and the 2008 New Mexico Cup Fillies and Mares Stakes ($106,500), both at Zia Park.
"She was an all-time great in New Mexico," said Eric Alwan, head of publicity and track announcer at SunRay Park. "She was a real warrior with a late kick. A gem of perfection. I will always remember calling her 16th win at SunRay Park."
Peppers Pride was foaled March 24, 2003, and is out of the Chili Pepper Pie mare Lady Pepper.
"I was never supposed to own a horse like this," Allen told BloodHorse after Peppers Pride won her 17th consecutive race to start her career. "It's kind of unreal, but it sure has been a lot of fun."
No U.S.-based horse who retired undefeated has won more wins than Peppers Pride. As for not running her in open company or outside of "The Land of Enchantment," Allen said (in 2008): "We have been criticized for not running her outside the state, but from an economical standpoint, that is the way I have to look at it.
"We have had a lot of people tell us that we need to do this, and we need to do that, and how she can compete at the next level, but the right deal for us to travel out of state has not come along.
"I am not going to get in the way of doing what is right. Joel knows more than I do."
