Lady Blue Sky vs. Missy's Queen

Lady Blue Sky will attempt a sweep of the leading route stakes for Indiana-bred fillies and mares when she heads a field of 12 in the $40,000 Frances Slocum at Hoosier Park.

A 1 1/16-mile race, the Frances Slocum carries the same conditions as the Richmond Stakes, which Lady Blue Sky easily won as the odds-on favorite on Oct. 6.

Lady Blue Sky is the co-highweight at 123 pounds, which is seven more than the weight she carried in the Richmond. Missy's Queen, the winner of the Merrillville Stakes, the top sprint for statebred fillies and mares, will also carry 123 pounds.

Lady Blue Sky has turned into a bargain claim for trainer and co-owner Don Roberson. Haltered for $5,000 at Mountaineer in June, Lady Blue Sky lost her first three starts for Roberson before winning the Richmond and its first prize of $24,000.

Missy's Queen has run her best races at the right times this year. Her two wins this season both came in stakes, but she will be making a rare two-turn appearance in the Slocum. Unless there is a scratch, Missy's Queen might find it difficult to overcome post 12.

Dixie Bell, a closing second to Missy's Queen in the Merrillville, was a dominating winner of a two-turn allowance earlier in the year. Free Bonus, second to Lady Blue Sky in the Richmond, finished sixth as the favorite in the Merrillville after throwing her head at the start.