Sippin seeks lost form in Peppers Pride

Sippin has been known to get on a win streak, and there is no better race for her to start a new one than the $85,000 Peppers Pride Handicap on Sunday at Sunland Park.

The stakes is named for the New Mexico-bred mare who went 19 for 19 while earning more than $1 million. Peppers Pride closed out her career with a stakes win at Sunland in December 2008.

Sippin won the first seven races of her career, including five consecutive stakes victories. She is co-highweighted at 120 pounds for the nine-horse Peppers Pride, along with My Bikini Fell Off, who won last year’s running, and Sunday Rose. Joel Marr, who trained Peppers Pride, will start Pink Cadillac.

Peppers Pride is now a broodmare based in Kentucky.

PEPPERS PRIDE (RACE 9) KEY CONTENDERS

Sippin, by Swissle Stick Last 3 Beyers: 61-59-58

◗ She launched her career in July 2016 at Ruidoso Downs, winning a maiden special weight. From there, Sippin won a trial race and the Rio Grande Senorita Futurity at Ruidoso before shifting to Zia and winning the Permian Basin against open company and the New Mexico Cup Lassie against statebreds. Sippin’s streak continued at Sunland, where she won the La Senorita and then her two-turn debut in the Enchantress to close out her streak last January. She has not won in six starts since that race.

◗ Sippin enters the Peppers Pride off a runner-up finish in an optional $50,000 claiming race for fillies and mares at a mile. She was beaten a neck by Sunday Rose.

◗ Sippin has speed and could get a tracking trip off Ivy Gimlet, who is stretching out around two turns after showing speed sprinting.

◗ Roimes Chirinos has the mount on Sippin for trainer Todd Fincher.

◗ Sippin races for her breeder, R.D. Hubbard. She is one of the leading earners in the field with a bankroll of $357,597.

My Bikini Fell Off, by Elusive Jazz Last 3 Beyers: 50-60-60

◗ She leads the field in earnings with $402,332, all for her breeder and owner, Brian Mundell.

◗ My Bikini Fell Off closed for a half-length win over Sunday Rose in last year’s Peppers Pride and could get a decent pace setup on Sunday if Contradiction pushes Ivy Gimlet and Sippin along on the front end.

◗ My Bikini Fell Off has had more success at Sunland than any of her rivals, boasting a 7-for-19 record and earnings of $272,204 at the track.

◗ Ry Eikleberry has the mount for trainer Bart Hone.