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Harissa takes Barbara Fritchie
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| Harissa earned her first
graded win in the Fritchie
(Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club) |
Aspenglow (Lion Hearted) attempted to wire Saturday's $150,000
Barbara Fritchie H. (G2) at Laurel Park, but Gem Inc.'s HARISSA (Afleet
Alex) had other plans. The Michael Hushion trainee rallied in the stretch to
catch Aspenglow and easily pulled away from that rival to score the 2 1/4-length
victory under jockey Ramon Dominguez. Sent off the 3-2 favorite, Harissa paid
$5, $3.60 and $2.80.
Aspenglow was easily best of the rest, 2 1/2 lengths clear of Fascinatin'
Rhythm (More Than Ready) on the wire. Meese Rocks (Rock and Roll), defending
champion Sweet Goodbye (Louis Quatorze), R Betty Graybull (Holy Bull) and Kid
Kate (Lemon Drop Kid) completed the order under the wire.
Harissa started off her four-year-old campaign on a winning note when
capturing the Sleigh Ride S. at Parx Racing on January 4. The bay lass closed
out 2010 with a third-place run in the Indiana Oaks (G2) and a four-length
victory against optional claiming rivals at Monmouth Park. Those last three
starts have all come since the filly was transferred from trainer David Hofmans
to Hushion.
For Hofmans, Harissa recorded a win in the Sunland Park Oaks, a
second in the Iowa Oaks (G3) and fourth-place efforts in the Santa Ysabel S.
(G3) and Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2). By taking her first graded win in a final
time of 1:23 3/5 for the seven-furlong Fritchie, the four-year-old improved her
career record to 13-5-3-2, $425,566.
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Bred in Kentucky by Jeanne Bruce, Harissa passed through the sales ring
twice, bringing $95,000 as a Keeneland September yearling before RNAing at
$195,000 during the 2009 Barretts March sale. She is out of multiple Grade
3-placed stakes winner Dynasty (Time for a Change), who is also responsible for
the listed-placed Seattle Queen (Seattle Slew) and a juvenile filly named My
Dynasty (Scat Daddy). Dynasty is herself a half-sister to Grade 3 scorer Digital
Dan (Ogygian) as well as stakes winners American Dynasty (Quiet American) and
Everheart (Grand Slam).
This is the same family as multiple English highweight
Benny the Dip (Silver Hawk), who captured the 1997 Epsom Derby (Eng-G1), and
that ones half-brothers, Grade/Group 3 winners Cryptic Rascal (Cryptoclearance)
and Beggarman Thief (Arctic Tern).
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