After a strong start to the week, we came to a juddering halt on Thursday as we had two fourth place finishes and a plumb last in our hopes on a novice horse out at Del Mar. Doh. As always our selections for this column are from Extra Place Races with horses outside of the top three according to the Morning Line Odds…

We start over in the first at Delaware Park with an eight-year-old who has put up very good speed figures in his career and he’s not too far below them despite his age. Wild Caramelo ended his spell at Penn National with a win and a runner-up in his final three runs. He might not be as fast he once was but his Equibase Speed Figure in his last race was not that far off the short-priced favourite here. Give me the rank outsider and a decent chance to place at big odds.

*Note: Wild Caramelo has been cross-entered in the 02:22 at Penn National (also an Extra Place Race) so we’ll see which one he’s scratched from.

The 19:40 at Woodbine has 12 entries and that means the Extra Place being paid out here is for fourth. I like the chances of Striking Moon who has predominantly been a dirt horse. He’s coming off the back of a strong spell at Fort Erie with two wins and a runners-up spot but it is back to turf for the first time since last July at Woodbine, a race in which he finished second. Priced up as the joint-sixth choice on the Morning Line feels a bit long and potential to certainly contest at the front of the race.

For the second of our two visits to Delaware Park on the night we have the 20:30 with Betfred once again paying out four places here. Plenty of horses entered who looked great down at Tampa Bay Downs earlier in the year who have migrated north for the summer season and looked flat out bad. This concerns me hence why I’m putting up Sutton Valley who has at least shown that he likes the course here with a win and a place in his three runs so far this year.

With the decision to end Horse Racing at Golden Gate Fields, the fairgrounds circuit in Northern California is going to become even more important so I’ve decided to look at the 22:46 where the sixth choice of seven according to the Morning Line has put up his two best speed figures in his previous two, including a win and a place at Pleasanton. Sasquatch Ride is a big price to place and I’m here for it.