Hall of Fame trainer Lukas dies aged 89
It was announced on Monday that he had been forced to retire due to serious health issues and he was to leave hospital to spend his final days with his family at his home in Louisville, Kentucky.
Lukas died on Saturday evening and a statement from his family on www.churchilldowns.com read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of legendary Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
'Wayne dedicated his life to Thoroughbred racing—not only through his unmatched success on the track, but through his impact on the people within it. He shaped generations of horsemen and horsewomen, and helped grow the sport with his passion, vision, and leadership.
'Whether he was touting a promising two-year-old or quietly offering advice before a big race, Wayne brought heart, grace, and grit to every part of the game.
'At this time, we ask you to please join us in a moment of silence to honour the memory of D. Wayne Lukas.'
Lukas, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, won the Kentucky Derby four times among his 15 Triple Crown race wins and had 20 victories at the Breeders' Cup, a record matched only by Aidan O'Brien.
It had already been announced that long-serving assistant, Englishman Sebastian 'Bas' Nicholl will take over the running of his stable.
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Powys County Times
6 hours ago
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Baffert hails ‘true visionary' Lukas
Bob Baffert has paid a heartfelt tribute to D. Wayne Lukas, the legendary American trainer who died at the age of 89 on Saturday. Baffert credits Lukas with being a true inspirational figure as he was starting out in his own career both in Quarter Horse racing and later when he moved into training thoroughbreds. In a post on X, Baffert said: 'I first saw D. Wayne Lukas as a teenager at a small County Fair racetrack close to my hometown in Nogales, Arizona. He rolled into town with his gleaming chrome trailer, big, beautifully turned out horses, and the most expensive-looking Stetson hat that I had ever seen. 'He won race after race and made such a huge impression on me that I fell in love with Quarter horse racing right there. 'Years later, when I transitioned into thoroughbreds, Wayne was the competition, and all I wanted was to beat him in the big races. It didn't take me long to realize how difficult that would be. 'Wayne was a game changer, transforming horse racing for the better. He made it so the horse's bloodlines were more important than the owner's. He created a system of flying his horses coast to coast, establishing a presence at every major racetrack in America. And Wayne didn't just show up. He dominated. He won so much he became known as 'D. Wayne off the plane'. He developed the blueprint the rest of us still follow. He was a true visionary. 'The horses were everything to Wayne. They were his life. From the way he worked them, how he cared for them, and how he maintained his shed row as meticulously as he did his horses. No detail was too small. Many of us got our graduate degrees in training by studying how Wayne did it. 'Behind his famous shades, he was a tremendous horseman, probably the greatest who ever lived. 'As I grew older and wiser, Wayne remained the competition, but he also became a mentor and one of my best friends. When he beat me, I knew I was beaten by the best. When I beat him, I knew I had done something right. 'Wayne had a special aura about him. He had a knack for making others feel seen and valued. He was uniquely charming and an eternal optimist. In one of my last conversations with him, we talked about the importance of looking at the glass half full and continuing to compete in what he called the big arena. 'To his final days, he was a relentless competitor. He set out with ambitious goals and achieved them all. One of the things that made Wayne so special was the steadfast love and support of his wife, Laurie, an excellent horsewoman in her own right, and his grandchildren. 'Wayne impacted the lives of so many people in racing and raised the bar for all of us. He was the epitome of excellence, and I'll miss him every day for the rest of my life. 'I hope somewhere along the way, I made him proud.'
NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a winner of 15 Triple Crown races, dies at 89
D. Wayne Lukas, the Hall of Famer who became one of the most accomplished trainers in the history of horse racing and a face of the sport for decades, has died. He was 89. His family said Sunday that Lukas died Saturday night at his Louisville, Kentucky, home. Lukas had been hospitalized with a severe MRSA blood infection that caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system and worsened pre-existing chronic conditions. "Wayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry — developing generations of horsemen and horsewomen and growing the game by inviting unsuspecting fans into the winner's circle," his family said in a statement. "Whether he was boasting about a maiden 2-year-old as the next Kentucky Derby winner or offering quiet words of advice before a big race, Wayne brought heart, grace, and grit to every corner of the sport. His final days were spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family, and faith." Lukas won 15 Triple Crown races, including the Kentucky Derby four times. Only good friend Bob Baffert has more Triple Crown victories, and Lukas owns a record-tying 20 in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. "The whole secret of this game, I think, is being able to read the horse: Read what he needs, what he doesn't need, what he can't do, what he can do," Lukas said in May before his 34th and final Preakness Stakes. "That's the whole key. Everybody's got the blacksmith, everybody's got to the same bed available, the feed man. We all can hire a good jockey. We all can hire a pretty good exercise rider if we've got the means, so what the hell is the difference? The horse is the difference and what we do with him in reading him." Lukas was affectionately known around the barns and the racetrack as "Coach" because he coached high school basketball before his professional career with horses began. Even with months to go before his 90th birthday, he would get up on his pony in the early morning hours and go out to the track himself, rather than letting his assistants do the day-to-day work. Born Darnell Wayne Lukas on Sept. 2, 1935, in Wisconsin as the second of three children, he rose to prominence in the sport with quarter horses in races that are effectively sprints. He moved into thoroughbreds in the late 1970s and won his first Preakness with Codex in 1980. Lukas has 4,967 documented victories in thoroughbred racing, with his horses earning more than $310 million from more than 30,600 starts. "Today we lost one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most significant figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years," Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said. "We will miss his humor, his wisdom and his unmatched capacity to thrill the fans with the performances of his horses on our sport's biggest days." Achieving something of a career renaissance over the past decade, one he credits to finding the right owners willing to spend money on horses, Lukas won the Preakness last year with Seize the Grey. Asked what motivates him to keep doing his job well into his late 80s, he gave a pep talk fit for a locker room before a big game. "If you have a passion, you eliminate all the excuses," Lukas said. "That's how it works. You get up early. You go without a meal. You drive. You go without sleep — as long as you got the passion. Don't let that sofa pull you down. It's a little easy when that alarm goes off to say, 'Oh my God, I don't know if I really want to do this today.' Erase that. The most important decision you'll ever make in your life is your attitude decision. Make it early, and make the right one."
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tributes paid after legendary trainer D Wayne Lukas dies ‘peacefully', aged 89
Tributes have been paid following the death of legendary trainer D Wayne Lukas, who was 89. The 89-year-old trained nearly 5,000 winners, including 15 in Triple Crown races of which four were Kentucky Derby winners, and 20 Breeders' Cup winners. He topped the trainers' rankings by prize-money won 14 times. A week earlier the Lukas family announced that the trainer popularly known as 'Coach' had been forced to give up his six decades long training career after being hospitalised in Louisville, Kentucky, with a severe and worsening infection. He had declined an aggressive treatment plan and in order to spend his remaining time with his family. On Sunday his family shared the sad news of his passing in a statement issued by Churchill Downs. They said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved husband, grandfather, and great-grandfather, D. Wayne Lukas, who left this world peacefully yesterday evening at the age of 89, surrounded by family. 'Wayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry – developing generations of horsemen and horsewomen and growing the game by inviting unsuspecting fans into the winner's circle. 'Whether he was boasting about a maiden 2-year-old as the next Kentucky Derby winner or offering quiet words of advice before a big race, Wayne brought heart, grace, and grit to every corner of the sport. 'His final days were spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family, and faith. As we grieve at his passing, we find peace in knowing he is now reunited with his beloved son, Jeff, whose memory he carried in his heart always. 'We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from all corners of the racing community — from racetracks across the country to lifelong friends and respected rivals, and from fans who never missed a post parade when 'Lukas' was listed in the program.' Lukas amassed 4,967 wins and his horses earned more than $301 million from 30,607 starts, including 1,105 stakes wins of which 637 were of the graded stakes variety. His final winner came on June 12 at Churchill Downs with Tour Player, who is owned by fellow trainer Bob Baffert's wife Jill. Baffert posted his own tribute to his long-time friend and rival. He said: ''Wayne was a game changer, transforming horse racing for the better. He made it so the horse's bloodlines were more important than the owner's. 'He created a system of flying his horses coast to coast, establishing a presence at every major racetrack in America. And Wayne didn't just show up. He dominated. 'He won so much he became known as 'D. Wayne off the plane.' He developed the blueprint the rest of us still follow. He was a true visionary.' Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens said: 'I will miss you My Friend. Love You and thank you. My Prayers go out to all family members. No one was was bigger to this Game Except For Wayne.'
