Mike Smith to receive inaugural Jack Van Berg Horse Racing Award in Arkansas

Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith will be honored with the inaugural Jack Van Berg Horse Racing Award during the Oaklawn Kick-Off Banquet on Jan. 15, said Mark Schlesinger, a longtime owner and businessman in Arkansas. The event will be held at the Wyndam Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock, Ark. Schlesinger said a crowd of 500 to 600 is anticipated.

Smith is scheduled to address banquet-goers upon receipt of his award. The keynote speaker will be Oaklawn president Lou Cella, who will discuss projects at the track, including an expanded gaming area that opens in January and a hotel coming on line in 2021.

Oaklawn opens its meet Jan. 24. Last year, Smith swept the track’s two Grade 1 races when Omaha Beach won the Arkansas Derby and Midnight Bisou accounted for the Apple Blossom Handicap.

Schlesinger said he will have five or six horses at the upcoming meet, with those runners owned in partnership with Paul Reddam.

Remington handle up

Remington Park reported an increase in average daily handle on its races during the 67-date meet that ended in December. The track handled $1,147,539 a program from all sources, up from $1,071,615 during the corresponding meet in 2018. Purses averaged $253,310 a program, up from $247,791 in 2018.

◗ Sheriff Brown, a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Runaway Ghost, takes on stakes winner Black Ops in the Friday feature at Sunland. The allowance, which has an optional-claiming price of $20,000, will be run at a mile.

◗ Recount returns to the overnight ranks for Friday night’s seventh race at Delta Downs, an allowance sprint that also has drawn fellow stakes winners Grand Luwegee and Double Star.

◗ Delta parent company Boyd Gaming donated $130,000 to various charities during its annual Trees of Hope event.