The week started off sluggishly for the US Extra Place Race column with a place and two fourth place finishes from Monday’s three selections. As always all our picks are from outside the top three according to the Morning Line odds as we search for place value in the market…

We start Tuesday’s column with a bit of a review of a race we didn’t pick yesterday. The first at Thistledown was an Extra Place Race but I sidestepped it struggling to find value in the market. The seven-horse race was won by the rank outsider who had put up seven straight races of slower speed figures before winning as a 22/1 shot. Staggering surprises are never that far away in Horse Racing.

On with picks for Tuesday evening as we go back to Thistledown but not taking the rank outsider although Vegas Player is the fifth choice of seven according to the Morning Line in the 20:20. This three-year-old had four straight races of improving speed figures at the track before a trip to Belterra Park did not go well. He’s back here though tonight and with a win and two places in his previous three starts at the track, feels like a big price to hit the board.

The next selection comes up just a few minutes later over at Horseshoe Indianapolis where in the 20:32, we see a massive price for the Midshapman colt, Shipshape. This five-year-old was a star a year ago at the track winning three times and placing six other times all within a ten-race stretch. His 2023 campaign has been nowhere near as impressive but his past two starts have seen a real uptick in speed once again. If he continues with those types of numbers, could be one of the value bets of the week.

For our final pick of the night we are going long and throwing the Hail Mary as we select the 30/1 shot according to the Morning Line, Shining Through. This seven-year-old out of Malibu Moon has been racing on dirt for the best part of two years but returns to the turf tonight and is priced up to not even be competitive. Back in 2019 and 2020 on the turf, he would regularly place and be competitive on the strong California circuit at both Del Mar and Santa Anita. That was a long time ago I grant you but he shouldn’t be priced up so big and even a place would be a massive win for us if he goes off at the expected odds.