A nice place, a scratch and two failures was how this column did on Tuesday as we continue to look for value in the US Extra Place markets. So for the first time since the middle of last week, we weren’t profitable but we go again. As always all of our picks come from outside the top-three according to the Morning Line Odds with the two Delaware Park picks really catching my eye…

We start our day at Delaware Park where in the second I’m taking Merger of Equals to keep her recent good form at the track going. This four-year-old has raced twice here so far in this meet and has a place and a win to her name. Both of her recent good outings have also come with extra distance having spent most of the Laurel Park meet earlier in the year racing between five and six-and-a-half furlongs. The extra quarter-of-a-mile seems to do her good and recent track form indicates if this New York Bred four-year-old goes off as the fifth favourite, it provides place value.

An hour later on the card at the same track in the 19:00, the joint-sixth choice in the market is my go to as the three-year-old filly Child Proof is my each-way play. In four races in her young career at six furlongs or shorter, this Juan Arriagada trained horse has yet to finish outside the top two. After a brief dalliance with the turf, it is back on to the dirt where she won last time out here at Delaware Park. If the Morning Line price holds, I’ll be very surprised.

Our final selection of the three today comes from Race 9 of the ten-race card at Saratoga we have a very nice five-year-old Mare who you have to go back nine races to find a time where she didn’t place. Four wins, two runners-up and two third place finishes in her last eight makes you wonder why Bustin Bay is the fifth choice on the Morning Line. This Linda Rice trained horse has already won here at the Spa early in the festival. This is a step-up in class with a couple of very nice entries, particularly Sunset Louise but with Betsy Blue cross-entered and expected to not partake in this one, every chance of a place here.