A profitable Friday brings a boon to my morale following a nice win and a solid priced place from three selections. We go four deep for Saturday and all the selections are from races that are paying out four places and from outside the favourites according to the Morning Line odds…

In the 19:11 at Saratoga, we are paying out four places rather than three and I’m plumping for the interesting Linda Rice trained three-year-old Joey Freshwater. Recent form has been a bit indifferent with the step up in class but he’s also been asked to go that bit further. When he’s raced at six furlongs or shorter, this three-time winner has finished in the top four every time. Finished a distant second in the Grade III Quick Call Stakes here a fortnight ago but was only beaten by the classy looking Uncashed. Love his chances to finish in the top four with the step back down in class.

Shimmering Light looks set to go off at a huge price in the 20:30 at Delaware Park and if you look at his recent form and history at the track, it is easy to see why. In three starts at the track, seventh place in his best finish and in his past three starts at any track, sixth is the top result. Yet his winter campaign at Tampa Bay Downs was outstanding, placing in six of seven races and with new connections, the chances of rediscovering that form feel better than being the tenth choice of 12. We are paying out the top four again here.

Over at Del Mar in the 02:09, Pegs A. K. Girl is racing over in California for the first time on the back of a very successful spring at Belmont Park. Three starts with a win, a second and a third on her record. In addition, she broke her maiden at Saratoga in the 2022 meet, which indicates that this is a pretty classy filly. Her record away from the NYRA circuit though is dubious and that must be the reason the Del Mar linemaker has installed her as the joint-fourth choice despite the fact her resume is arguably the best in the field. Paying out four places here at what looks to be a decent price.

Half an hour later we have the big race of the day over on the west coast in the Grade I Bing Crosby and sitting there is the field as the seventh choice is the wonderful C Z Rocket. This nine-year-old has yet to notch up that all important GI win for stud terms but is a multiple Graded Stakes winner and has finished second twice in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Never rule out a classy horse in a big race and if you can back him at double-digits each-way to end up in the top four, go for it.