Harissa made the trip from southern California to New Mexico well worth it with a victory in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks on Mar. 28. The 3-year-old filly was making her first start on a conventional dirt surface and outside of her home state.

The change in scenery and surface weren't enough to slow down the bay filly who seems to always give a good account of herself. In the Oaks, she was facing a solid field that included the multiple stakes winners Queen Greeley and Tornado Betty, plus the highly regarded Ella Fitz from the Bob Baffert barn.

Harissa broke second of six, stalking longshot Hayley's Halo for the first six furlongs. She collared the pacesetter in upper stretch and began to shake clear in the final stages, winning the 1 1/16-mile race by a widening 3 1/2-lengths over the early leader.  The others never mounted a serious challenge. Harissa stopped the teletimer in 1:42 4/5, just a second off the track record.

Afleet Alex is the leading second-crop sire in North America with progeny earnings of $660,202, and is co-leader in terms of stakes winners.

If Harissa moves on to the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Afleet Alex will likely be represented in both that race and the Kentucky Derby (G1), for which his son Dublin is a strong prospect.

With the $120,000 payday, Harissa has now earned $174,520 overall for owner Gem Inc. She is trained by David Hofmans. Her record now stands at 2-2-1 in sever starts. Harissa sold for $95,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in Sept. 2008.