Short takes, Saturday stakes, chronological order …

Gulfstream Park, race 8 (3:34 ET), Grade 3 Marshua’s River – The speed figures say Andina Del Sur (5) is a standout in this mile and a sixteenth turf route for fillies and mares. But second choice Sweet Bye and Bye (4) has a tactical advantage and will get first run in a race without much pace.

A wacko price play would be 20-1 front-runner Piece by Peace (2), a last-out maiden winner who will be positioned one-two early. Link to Daily Racing Form advance, which includes a preview of the Grade 3 Tropical Turf: https://bit.ly/2R8ugt5

Aqueduct, race 8 (3:55 ET), $100,000 Florida Sandy Stakes – New York-bred sprinters go seven furlongs in a race named for the venerable sprinter that won 33 races and more than $2 million in 98 starts from 1996 through 2003.

My Boy Tate (3), who won this race in 2018, scored a decisive comeback victory last out and looks tough right back. His trainer Michelle Nevin is 0-for-27 since late November. The Caretaker (7) wheels back 13 days after a 97-Beyer win that is the highest last-start figure in the field. Link to DRF advance: https://bit.ly/2TfK7IY

Santa Anita, race 3 (1:32 PT), Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes – Jolie Olimpica (3), three-for-three Group 1 winner from Brazil, makes her U.S. debut as the favorite in this five and a half-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares. The distance might be too short.

Storm the Hill (1) goes route to sprint and is this handicapper’s top choice, though would prefer higher odds than 9-5 in the program. Front-runner Kentan Road (2) is the pace play, but turf sprints this meet have been dominated by closers. Not a single front-running winner from 11 turf sprints, more than half the winners rallied from the back. Link to DRF advance: https://bit.ly/36LYV5Y

Gulfstream Park, race 10 (4:38 ET), Grade 3 Tropical Turf – Reasons to play against program favorite A Thread of Blue (8) in this turf mile include the following: first time against older, shortening in distance, and zero advantage on pace or speed figures. Tusk (6), Gemonteer (7) and Exulting (9) are listed at 8-1, 10-1 and 6-1 respectively with recent races good enough to win. DRF race preview covered in Marshua’s River advance.

Turf Paradise, race 5 (3:17 MT), $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap – Southern California shippers Ohio (6) and River Boyne (12) enter this mile turf stakes as the class of the field, and one-two favorites. Ohio won this race last year by more than six lengths; River Boyne is compromised by the draw. Posts 11-12 combined are 2-for-65 in mile turf races at Turf Paradise the past 10 years. Link to DRF advance: https://bit.ly/36O6V6w

Santa Anita, race 8 (4:07 PT), Grade 3 La Canada Stakes – Spiced Perfection (7) is the class, but the is a sprinter and this two-turn race for fillies and mares is a mile and a sixteenth. Furthermore, high-percent trainer Peter Miller is 0-for-39 the past five years in graded stakes on dirt at a mile and a sixteenth or more. (Note: the trainer stat revises an earlier comment by this handicapper that stated he was 0-for-42.)

Spiced Perfection “should” win as the “best horse” in the field, but the distance dilemma is reason to tread lightly. Queen Bee to You (3) will be rolling late, while Horologist (6) has trained exceptionally well for her California debut. Link to DRF advance: https://bit.ly/2RkyuhB

(Late scratch: Spiced Perfection scratched, per Santa Anita racing office email. Starr of Quality also out.)

Most probable winner – Storm the Hill, SA race 3. Most vulnerable program favorite – A Thread of Blue, GP, race 10.