My Sister Sue's pattern mirrors 2007

OCEANPORT, N.J. - If last year's pattern repeats, My Sister Sue could be primed for the $70,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park.

Last season, My Sister Sue tuned up for a Blue Sparkler victory with a narrow loss in the Skipat Stakes at Pimlico, where she held a clear lead turning for home only to fail by a head.

In a remarkably similar finish this year, My Sister Sue also yielded the lead in the Skipat on May 17, finishing second by a neck.

Trainer Flint Stites hopes for deja vu in the Blue Sparkler.

"That was a really nice race at Pimlico," Stites said. "We decided to follow the same path we did last year. It worked out well then. Hopefully it will work out well this time."

The Blue Sparkler was My Sister Sue's final start of the 2007 season as she came out of the race with a foot injury.

"She had a puncture wound, and it was a shame because she was at the peak of her racing career," Stites said.

The 5-year-old returned to the races in February and is winless in four races this season with a pair of seconds and a third.

"It took time," Stites said. "It went all the way into the soft tissue of the foot. It took forever for it to fill in."

My Sister Sue, with Mike Luzzi aboard, faces seven fillies and mares going six furlongs Sunday.

As usual, Pure Disco will be the one to catch. The speedy mare rocketed to the lead in her latest, the Open Mind Handicap against New Jersey-breds here on May 26. She held on for second after zipping a half-mile in 44.78 seconds.

"She wants to dictate the pace," said trainer Tony Wilson. "That's the way she runs, and the rider has to keep her under control while she's doing it."

That mission falls to Daniel Centeno, who last rode the 5-year-old last summer when she stumbled badly at the start of Monmouth's Regret Stakes, tossing the jockey.

The Blue Sparkler will be the comeback spot for Princess Janie, sidelined since a Gulfstream Park victory in March in which she nicked her left front ankle, a problem trainer Cam Gambolati describes as chronic.

Princess Janie, 4, was a stakes winner here last summer in the Mongo Queen.

Completing the field are Coli Bear, Officer in Pursuit, Silver Knockers, Vote Early, and Casino Transaction.

The card also includes the $60,000 Anderson Fowler for 3-year-old turf sprinters.