Hammersly: Oaklawn Park pick-four play for Monday, Feb. 19, 2018

A couple Bob Baffert 3-year-olds and the one-two finishers of last month’s Fifth Season figure to have something to say in Oaklawn’s late pick four (races 7-10) Monday.

Race 7
SWORN SILENCE (#9) won her first two starts handily, both for high-percentage trainer Brad Cox. It’s a tougher spot here but she’s got talent and her last win, Feb. 1, came over this track. THREE CHORDS (#4) has done nothing wrong in four starts and is a proven commodity coming off a sharp second, beaten a head, in a race like this here Feb. 2. MIZ K (#5) looked good beating maidens at Churchill Nov. 3 and has worked well over this track. SHANGHAI TARIFF (#6) romped in the slop here Feb. 11 with blinkers off. That plus mud may have made her a new horse, so upgrade her if it’s wet.

A’s) 4, 9
B’s) 5
C’s) 6

Race 8
SONNETEER (#6) and FUTILE (#10) just ran one-two in the Fifth Season here Jan. 12 and figure as prime contenders again in this renewal of the Razorback. SONNETEER has improved with blinkers and his best work has come over this track. He’s got the versatility to give his rider options. FUTILE was a sharp second in his last two, both over this track. He will be in it from the bell. HAWAAKOM (#3) ran second in this race last year to no less a beast than eventual Horse of the Year Gun Runner. He faces no one close to that here, comes off a nice return third at the Fair Grounds, and can move forward.

A’s) 6, 10
B’s) 3
C’s) None

Race 9
MOURINHO (#4), trained by Bob Baffert, dominated when winning the Smarty Jones here last month, and is a proven commodity over this track. SPORTING CHANCE (#2) hasn’t raced since summer, when he won Saratoga’s Grade 1 Hopeful. He’s worked well for this first start back. COMBATANT (#10) showed good energy when finishing second to MOURINHO in the Smarty Jones.

A’s) 4
B’s) 2
C’s) 10

Race 10
ZULFIKHAR (#8) dazzled winning his debut at Los Alamitos last summer for Baffert. The $750,000 son of Bodemeister hasn’t run since but has worked smartly for his return. NEW YORK CENTRAL (#5) made a strong run to the lead into the lane of his last start, but couldn’t quite sustain it, finishing second. That was a most encouraging return for the $750,000 son of Tapit. DREAM BABY DREAM (#2) looks headed the right way for Steve Asmussen, as he ran on decently to be third in his last pair, both routes at about this level on this track. PLAINSMAN (#10) ran second in his first route attempt here Feb. 1, finishing just ahead of DREAM BABY DREAM, so he fits.

A’s) 8
B’s) 2, 5
C’s) 10