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Oaklawn nears gate sans icons

Larry Snyder is shown in this file photo.
Larry Snyder is shown in this file photo.

HOT SPRINGS -- Two men left large saddles to fill for Oaklawn Park's next set of legends.

A pair of Oaklawn icons will not appear at the racetrack this season, which begins Friday, for the first time in the memories of most. Larry Snyder and Terry Wallace died in the fall -- Snyder at 76 on Oct. 30, and Wallace at 74 on Dec. 6 -- as members of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and inhabitants of hearts statewide.

"They both were true shining lights in the Oaklawn family, and they will both be missed," Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. "Unfortunately, with a business that's been around a hundred years, you see great ones come and go. Our goal is to find people who can always look up to them and strive to be as good as they were."

Snyder was a jockey at Oaklawn from the early 1960s through 1994. He rode 6,388 winners, which remains 14th on the all-time list among American jockeys. He reached 6,000 wins on Aug. 24, 1989, at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, which was the sixth time a jockey had reached that milestone. Snyder won two riding titles at Arlington Park near Chicago, six at Louisiana Downs and eight at Oaklawn.

"He was one of those rare individuals who never changed," Oaklawn senior vice president Eric Jackson said. "He had that outgoing, good-guy personality his entire life."

Wallace became Oaklawn's track announcer in 1975, a post he held through 2011. He was renowned for his streak of 20,191 consecutive races called, having never missed a race run at Oaklawn from the beginning of the 1975 season through Jan. 28, 2011. He called his final full card on the day of the 2011 Arkansas Derby on April 16, 2011.

"Terry was an absolute scholar when it came to horse racing," Cella said. "Not only was he a great announcer, but he was a handicapper and a student of the game."

Trainer Lynn Chleborad agreed.

"He knew more about the details of horses I'd had than I did," she said. "I'd already forgotten them, and he'd remind me of them, and that was a great attribute. He never forgot."

After Snyder retired as a jockey, he moved to Oaklawn's stewards office until his retirement in 2017. Wallace also retired after the 2017 meet after six years as a simulcast announcer, and media and management consultant.

Both often attended Oaklawn through the 2018 season, which also saw the loss of noteworthy track figures.

Oaklawn owner Charles Cella, president of the track from 1968-2017, died a month before the 2018 season. Also lost to Oaklawn that December was Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg. Tom Howard, who trained Oaklawn's fan-favorite older sprinter Ivan Fallunovalot, died midway through the 2018 meet.

"They're all kind of legacy figures, but so was Charles Cella," Jackson said. "It was a strange season in 2018 without Charles and without Jack Van Berg. We have and will continue to think of Terry and Larry often. Larry was part of Oaklawn for 50 years, as was Charles, and Terry almost that long. They were all institutions."

Those who knew and worked with Snyder and Wallace recognized the significance of their professional accomplishments, but they speak first of their qualities as human beings.

"I was lucky enough to know them both for a while," trainer Ron Moquett said. "Larry Snyder was as fierce a competitor as he was a gentleman. He was a great guy, and anyone who knew him knew he was a big part of our sport, and he never acted like he knew it. And then Terry Wallace, his passion for the sport and his love for Oaklawn was one of the things that drew a lot of people like me here.

"We can name a lot of stuff after them or whatever, but there were a lot of people affected by their professionalism and their passion."

AT THE POST

OPENING DAY Friday

POST TIMES Friday and May 4, 12:30 p.m.; Saturdays, and Feb. 3 and Feb. 18, 1 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, 1:30 p.m.

RACING CALENDAR Friday-Sunday the first two weeks; Thursday-Sunday starting Feb. 7. Oaklawn will race Feb. 18 on Presidents Day. No racing on April 21 for Easter. The final week of the season will be May 2-4.

KENTUCKY DERBY PREP RACES

Smarty Jones Stakes on Friday; Southwest Stakes on Feb. 18; Rebel Stakes on March 16; Arkansas Derby on April 13. Points for the Smarty Jones Stakes and Southwest Stakes will be awarded on a 10-4-2-1 basis. Points for the Rebel Stakes will be awarded on a 50-20-10-5 basis. Points for the Arkansas Derby will be awarded on a 100-40-20-10 basis.

ADMISSION Free

PARKING $2 in north, south and west lots

PROMOTIONS $0.50 corned beef sandwiches and $0.10 soft drinks on Saturday. Free baseball cap while supplies last Feb. 18. Boat and truck giveaway April 6 (registration begins March 23 and guests must be present April 6). Progressive cash giveaway April 14 (registration begins April 12, and guests must be present to win.)

photo

Terry Wallace

Sports on 01/23/2019

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