By The Associated Press’s Stephen Whyno
The Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who was a face of horse racing for decades and one of the most successful trainers in history, passed away. He was eighty-nine.
Lukas passed away at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday night, according to his family on Sunday. Lukas was admitted to the hospital due to a severe MRSA blood infection that exacerbated his pre-existing chronic problems and seriously damaged his heart and digestive system.
According to a statement from his family, Wayne dedicated his life to the industry as well as horses, raising generations of horsemen and horsewomen and expanding the sport by bringing unwary spectators into the winner’s circle. Wayne contributed passion, grace, and tenacity to every aspect of the sport, whether he was silently giving advise prior to a major race or raving about a 2-year-old as the future Kentucky Derby winner. He made peace, family, and faith his top priorities during his last days at home in Kentucky.
Four Kentucky Derby victories were among Lukas’s fifteen Triple Crown victories. Lukas holds a record-tying 20 in the Breeders Cup World Championships, and only close buddy Bob Baffert has more Triple Crown wins.
FILE: On May 1, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky, trainer D. Wayne Lukas observes a workout at Churchill Downs. (Charlie Riedel, File/AP Photo)AP
I believe that the ability to read the horse is the key to this game: Before his 34th and final Preakness Stakes in May, Lukas stated, “Read what he needs, what he doesn’t need, what he can’t do, what he can do.” That is the entire secret. Everybody has access to the same bed, the feed guy, and the blacksmith. A decent jockey can be hired by any of us. What the devil is the difference when we can all hire a decent workout rider if we have the money? The distinction lies in the horse and how we read him.
Prior to starting his professional career with horses, Lukas was a high school basketball coach, therefore he was lovingly referred to as Coach around the barns and the racecourse. Instead of allowing his aides handle the day-to-day tasks, he would get up on his pony early in the morning and go out to the track personally, even though he had months till his 90th birthday.
He became well-known in the sport with quarter horses in races that are essentially sprints. He was born Darnell Wayne Lukas on September 2, 1935, in Wisconsin, the second of three children. In the late 1970s, he switched to thoroughbreds, and in 1980, Codex won his first Preakness.
In thoroughbred racing, Lukas has 4,967 recorded victories, and his horses have earned over $310 million from over 30,600 starts.
Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., stated, “Today we lost one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most important figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years.” We will miss his sense of humor, his insight, and his unparalleled ability to enthrall the crowd with his horses’ performances on the most important days in our sport.
FILE: Take Control On May 18, 2024, in Baltimore, D. Wayne Lukas, the trainer of the Grey, shakes hands with Bob Baffert, the trainer of Imagination, following Lukas’ horse’s victory in the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course. (Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo, file)AP
Lukas, who won the Preakness last year with Seize the Grey, attributes his career’s recent revival to finding the proper owners who are prepared to spend money on horses. He offered a motivational speech appropriate for a locker room before a major game when asked what drives him to continue working well into his late 80s.
“You eliminate all the excuses if you have a passion,” Lukas added. That is the way it operates. You rise early. You don’t eat anything. You are a driver. As long as you have passion, you can continue without sleep. Don’t let that couch to get you down. When the alarm goes off, it’s a bit simple to say, “Oh my God, I’m not sure if I want to do this today.” Take that out. Your attitude choice is the most significant one you will ever make in your life. Make the proper choice and do it early.
https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing is the AP horse racing website.
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