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OPINION | WALLY HALL: Get your vote in for next hall of fame class

Thursday's meeting of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors was lively, entertaining and productive.

This year's voting list for the hall of fame was determined and has 36 names on the regular list and 38 on the senior list.

All are qualified and the membership will have some tough, but fun, decisions to make.

The list and information about how to join and be part of the voting process can be found at Arksportshalloffame.com.

Ballots will be mailed next week and must be received by the hall of fame by Oct. 31, so there is plenty of time to join and take part in selecting the next great class.

Votes can be mailed, emailed or texted to the hall of fame.

The membership is open to all, and induction into the ASHOF is the state's greatest honor for coaches, athletes and administrators.

Also, the ASHOF annual golf tournament is Sept. 21, and as usual will be rich with names of celebrities and golfers.

Torii Hunter, Ken Duke, Kevin McReynolds and Joe Kleine are just a few ASHOF members who will be celebrity golfers.

There are only a couple of spots left for the morning flight, and they may be gone by now.

There is close to $10,000 in prizes awarded either for golf or by draw.

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame started in 1958 and has inducted a new class every year.

This year's nominees come from nearly every sport and too many different colleges or high schools to mention them all.

. . .

Luc Bequette has transferred from California, where he was a three-year starter on the defensive line, to Boston College.

Bequette was awarded an extra medical year by the NCAA after missing his sophomore season because of injury.

Bequette comes from a long line of men who played football for the Arkansas Razorbacks including his dad Chris, uncle Jay and cousin Jake.

Chris and Jay's dad George was a Razorback, too.

When the Pac-12 chose to postpone football, Luc entered the transfer portal and picked Boston College from all the schools who reached out to him, although the Hogs did not show interest.

He is a graduate transfer.

. . .

Last Friday's Kentucky Oaks -- one of the most prestigious races in the world for 3-year-old fillies -- proved to be a proud moment for Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.

The winner Shedaresthedevil, is co-owned by Hot Springs native Staton Flurry, but the top four finishers had all raced at Oaklawn.

Finishing second was Swiss Skydiver followed by Gamine and Speech.

Shedaresthedevil is the first Oaklawn horse to win the Honeybee and then go on to win the Oaks. She was one second off the track record.

Last year's Oaks winner, Serengeti Empress won this year's Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn.

Oaklawn had already earned a reputation for prep races for 3-year-old colts and has now added fillies to the one-two punch.

. . .

On the same afternoon at Saratoga in upstate New York, Frank's Rockette, owned by Frank Fletcher, smoked the nine-horse field in the 6-furlong Prioress Stakes.

Midway through the turn to home, Frank's Rockette moved into the lead and then won going away, covering the distance in 1:08.89.

Frank's Rockette has won five of her nine starts, including three in a row at three different tracks. She ran second to Kimari in Oaklawn's Purple Martin Stakes last April.

Frank's Rockette was sired by Rocket Twentyone, also owned by Fletecher who has the name Rocket (in honor of his dog) in the names of all his horses.

Frank's Rockette has now earned more than $500,000 in her five victories.

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