ARCADIA, Calif. – Racetrack fairy tales include a belief that front-runners are especially effective on Santa Anita turf when the temporary rails are positioned at the outermost 30-foot setting. Sure, it seems logical to expect speed could hold an advantage on a narrow course with the rails at 30 feet, compared to a wide course with the rails down. But like Cinderella and Snow White, the “rails up, speed wins” expectation is only a myth. The turf rails move to 30 feet Friday for just the second time this meet and the running styles of winners will depend on pace, not rail placement. In fact, from January through mid-October the Santa Anita turf played undeniably fair with the rails farthest out. There were 17 turf sprints at the outer setting – 10 winners rallied from the back half of the field, three led gate to wire, and four won pressing the pace. From 25 turf miles at the outer setting, 14 winners rallied from the back, three led gate to wire, and eight won with pressing trips. What will happen in the four turf races Friday? :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. Race 3, a starter-allowance turf mile, is a rematch between presser Rip City and closer City Rage. They finished a nose apart two months ago. Rip City has been freshened since; City Rage won his next start. Dr. Troutman is speed; dirt-to-turf late-runner Ronamo will rally from the back. Race 5, a turf sprint for California-bred maidens, is easy. The favorite should win. But he never does. Master Ryan is an eight-start maiden with seven in-the-money finishes and five losses as the favorite. Trust him? No. Count Alexei is the speed as a route-to-sprint comebacker, and Squared Straight will rally. First-time starter First Prez is the X factor. Race 7, a $40,000 claiming turf mile for fillies and mares, includes multiple contenders. Lucky Peridot stretches out and drops, Hurley was compromised by a wide trip finishing second last out, Nice Ice is speed, and Clearly Gone will rally. Race 9, a turf sprint for California-bred maiden 2-year-old fillies, offers an intriguing gamble in Squared Shady. She is overdue, according to trainer Jeff Bonde. “We thought she’d win first time out, but she was down in the one-hole, got away bad, and ended up third,” Bonde said. “I said, that’s all right.” Squared Shady shipped from Del Mar to Santa Anita, but Bonde worried smoke from the fires compromised her condition. A week before her second start, he ran blood tests, which came back normal. Still, Bonde fretted. Second time out, Squared Shady did not produce her expected speed. Bonde speculates her pre-race condition was affected by the smoke. She made a middle move, flattened out, and finished sixth. Changed circumstances benefit Squared Shady on Friday. She has trained regularly in clean air, had a solid breeze since raced, adds blinkers, and goes dirt to turf. “She does have natural speed, horses by [Square Eddie] have been very successful on the grass, and Mike [Smith] wanted to ride her back,” Bonde said. “We’re looking for a better start.”