Mark your calendars: March 23rd is the $550,000 Grade III SPIRAL STAKES at Turfway Park. A field of 12 strong derby colt contenders match up for a mile and an eighth on the all weather surface. Uncaptured, the morning line favorite, makes his three year old debute against strong competition from Balance the Books, Capo Bastone, Fear the Kitten, and My Name Is Michael among others. For the ladies, the one mile $100,000 Grade III Fathead Bourbonette Oaks, featuring Le Fascinator, also entertains a full field of 12.

Other exciting stakes races include: The Excelsior at Aqueduct, The Pan American at Gulfstream, and The Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita.

Watch the LIVE broadcast from Gulfstream Park this Saturday! Finalists for the 2012 Eclipse Awards, selected by voters from Daily Racing Form, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association will be announced along with the long awaited recipient of 2012 US Horse of the Year.

http://www.drf.com/news/2012-eclipse-awards-finalists

Turf writer MICHAEL W COMPTON overviews retired Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens return to racing after a seven-year hiatus. Stevens is a modern US Flat track racing legend with three Kentucky Derby wins (Winning Colors, 1988, Thunder Gulch, 1995 & Silver Charm, 1997), along with eight Breeders’ Cup wins, two Preakness victories, three Belmonts, a record nine Santa Anita Derbies and four wins in the Santa Anita Handicap.

http://www.michaelwcompton.com/

Want to watch live streaming video of Gary’s race, 6th on the card today at Santa Anita? Sign up for a free account at http://www.calracing.com/ 

Turf writer MICHAEL W COMPTON covers one the latest hot topics for US racing news—Eblouissante. Half sister to the great Zenyatta and daughter of Bernardini, the three year old races at Betfair HOLLYWOOD PARK this Saturday.

http://www.michaelwcompton.com/

Want to watch live streaming video at Betfair? Sign up for a free account at http://www.calracing.com/