Sweep May Be in Cards for I Ain’t Bluffing

With victories in the May 3 Hawthorne Handicap and Saturday’s Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap now behind her, I Ain’t Bluffing could join a select club with a win in the $350,000 Vanity Handicap June 20.

A sweep of the three-race Hollywood Park series for fillies and mares has been done only three times since 1974--by Cascapedia (1977), Bayakoa (1989) and Brought To Mind (1991).

Of course, she has to run in the Vanity and that’s no certainty as trainer Ron Ellis mentioned the Hempstead Handicap on June 20 at Belmont Park as a possibility for her next appearance.

Helped considerably when 7-2 third choice Belle’s Flag stumbled badly at the start and unseated jockey Corey Nakatani, I Ain’t Bluffing--the 9-10 favorite--got to set a slow pace under jockey Chris McCarron, then withstood two challenges from 2-1 second choice Fleet Lady to win by a length in 1:42 for the 1 1/16-mile Milady.

It was the eighth win in 13 starts for I Ain’t Bluffing, owned by Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel.

Fleet Lady held second by a head over 27-1 shot Real Connection. A neck back in fourth was Alzora and Tuxedo Junction was last.

Nakatani, who had won three races earlier on the card, was uninjured, but took off his final mount, favored Priceless, who won the ninth under Gary Stevens.

Horse Racing Notes

Heavily favored Skip Away ran his win streak to six with a record-setting victory over Puerto Madero and three others in the $614,000 Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs. Carrying highweight of 130 pounds, Skip Away--the 3-10 favorite under jockey Jerry Bailey--went right to the front, shook off the overmatched K.J.’s Appeal and went on to win by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:47 1/5 for the 1 1/8 miles. The final time bettered the track record of 1:47 3/5 set by Bounding Basque on June 22, 1985. Owned by Carolyn Hine and trained by her husband Sonny, Skip Away is scheduled to make his next start in the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup on June 28. The $500,000 payday boosted the 5-year-old horse’s earnings past $8.3 million, second behind Cigar on the all-time list. . . . Deputy Commander is the 6-5 favorite against five others in the $250,000 Californian today at Hollywood Park. Mud Route, who has yet to win a stakes race, is the 7-5 second choice in the 1 1/8-mile race.