Saturday’s TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Three Eighty Eight finds her true calling as a dirt router

Aqueduct | Race 3 | Post Time 1:50 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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Even though a few of today’s rivals finished ahead of her last time, I am very interested in betting THREE EIGHTY EIGHT (#4) in this spot. This filly had raced around two turns before but had done so on turf, which is clearly not her preferred surface. She handled the switch to dirt without issue three races ago despite her connections electing to cut her back in distance to one-turn races.

Last time, Three Eighty Eight tried a dirt route for the first time and undoubtedly ran the best race of her career. That event was dominated by speed horses, and runners trying to make runs from the back of the pack seemed to have difficulty making up ground. Not only was Three Eighty Eight ridden as one of the closers in that race, but she went wide around the far turn while attempting to make her move. Jose Ortiz waited a long time before really setting her down for the drive, but she finished strongly through the stretch once he got into her. I don’t mind the rider switch to this up-and-coming apprentice and believe this filly would offer value at anything around her morning-line price.

I’ll primarily use her with Storm Cell (#7), who finished second in the race that Three Eighty Eight is exiting, and Fire Key (#3), who could be dangerous on the front end now after the scratch of her main pace rival.

THE PLAY

Win: 4

Exacta Key Box: 4 with 3,5,7

Trifecta: 4 with 3,7 with 3,5,7