Hall of Fame Thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas dies at 89
Lukas had a MRSA blood infection that caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system, his family said in a statement on June 22. The family stated that Lukas declined an aggressive treatment plan, intending to spend his remaining time at home.
The Hall of Famer's career spanned more than six decades, working with horses that earned victories at notable race tracks. Longtime assistant, Sebastian "Bas" Nicholl, will continue running operations for Lukas Enterprises Inc. out of Barn 44 on Churchill's backside, where Lukas stabled since 1989.
APPRECIATION: Remembering D. Wayne Lukas, a relentless horseman who changed the sport
D. Wayne Lukas' Hall of Fame career
Lukas made a name for himself in Southern California, earning his first documented win as a thoroughbred trainer at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 20, 1977, at age 42.
He would train thoroughbreds full-time in 1978 with seven horses and became known throughout his career for his trademark barns, which featured a white picket fence, beds of flowers, and painted feed tubs used for decoration.
Lukas had 4,967 documented thoroughbred victories (637 of the 1,105 stakes wins were graded) during his career. His horses earned more than $301 million from 30,607 starts, according to Churchill Downs.
The trainer has won the Kentucky Derby four times and the Longines Kentucky Oaks five times during his career. A total of 26 horses trained by Lukas went on to win Eclipse Award championships, including three that were tabbed as Horse of the Year.
Lukas' 15 Triple Crown races are second only to trainer Bob Baffert, who has 17 in his career.
"A special man, he's been a great friend and very much a father figure to me," Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Kenny McPeek told The Courier Journal. "He raised the standards for our sport to the highest level. An amazing man."
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- UPI
Journalism wins Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park
1 of 4 | Journalism win the Grade I Haskell at Monmouth Park on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Monmouth Park July 21 (UPI) -- The Triple Crown races are well in the rearview mirror, but the 3-year-old battle rages on with Preakness Stakes winner Journalism scoring the weekend's biggest triumph in the Grade I Haskell at Monmouth, while Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champ Sovereignty awaits next weekend's Jim Dandy at Saratoga. Other big names on the weekend winner's list include Scottish Lassie, Book'em Danno, Randomized and Redistricting. Globally, Coolmore had an excellent Irish Oaks meeting in the lads' own back yard, and now face the issue of what to do with dual Oaks winner Minnie Hauk. While they ponder that, peruse this: Classic The Triple Crown wars just won't end. In a virtual replay of the finish of this year's Preakness Stakes, Journalism delivered right on deadline in Saturday's $1 million Grade I NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth. It was not quite the stunner he unleashed at Pimlico, but Journalism again needed a last-gasp surge in the final sixteenth to catch Gosger for the victory -- again by 1/2 length. Before the heroics, it appeared Gosger had won a duel with Goal Oriented, but that one eventually settled for third, another neck back. Winning trainer Michael McCarthy said he "looked at the wire and I looked at Journalism and I looked at the leaders [Gosger and Goal Oriented], and I'm glad we had a couple of extra jumps there to get the job done." The victory earned Journalism a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic, which is academic, as his record already ensured a spot there. On Sunday at Woodbine, Sedburys Ghost rallied to score a 1 1/4-length victory over Notorious Gangster in the $150,000 (Canadian) Plate Trial for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. Distaff Scottish Lassie was bonnie good in Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. The McKinzie filly won last year's Grade I Frizette by 9 lengths, but then was a well-beaten fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, won by eventual Eclipse Award winner Immersive. This season, Scottish Lassie recorded two third-place finishes, leading to obvious questions. She had the answer in the CCA Oaks, and against Immersive, no less. Leading into the stretch turn with Immersive closely in her wake, Scottish Lassie and jockey Joel Rosario said good bye and ran away to a 15 1/2-length victory. Immersive did hold second. Trainer Jorge Abreu said Sunday morning all was well with the filly, with the Alabama Stakes back at the Spa on Aug. 16 or September's Cotillion at Parx Racing potential next targets. "She looks good, she ate up everything and is in good shape. I think the Alabama. If not, the Cotillion. I'll let her tell me," Abreu said. Randomized led throughout Saturday's $500,000 Grade III Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park and strode clear in the late going to win by 3 lengths over Magic Oops. Leslie's Rose reeled in pacesetting Dazzling Move at mid-stretch in Friday's $200,000 Grade II Shuvee at Saratoga and drew off to score by 3 3/4 lengths over that rival. Up north, No Time rallied to the front inside the final furlong in Sunday's $500,000 (Canadian) Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-bred fillies and kicked away under John Velazquez to win by 3 3/4 lengths from Shifty. Winterberry was third, giving trainer Mark Casse a sweep of the trifecta slots. Sprint Book'em Danno, the Jersey flash, showed 'em how it's done in Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga. The 4-year-old Bucchero gelding drafted in behind a decent early pace, moved up heading around the turn and got outside of his main rival, Mullikin, into the final furlong. 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Filly & Mare Sprint Halina's Forte slipped through along the rail to win Sunday's $200,000 Grade II Honorable Miss Stakes at Saratoga by 1/2 length over R Disaster. The favorite, Scylla, missed the break slightly and got up for third with a mild rally. Factorbella stalked the pace set by Ms. Bucchero in Sunday's $100,000 Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park, rallied by that rival and went on to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Turf Redistricting came from a stalking spot to win Saturday's $612,000 Grade II United Nations Stakes by 1 1/2-lengths over Grand Sonata. Filly & Mare Turf Segesta pressed the pace in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III WinStar Matchmaker at Monmouth Park, eased her way to the lead and dueled to the finish with the favorite, Sacred Wish, before securing the victory by a neck. Ready for Shirl won Sunday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II Canadian Stakes by a head. 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Journalism rallies with final burst to win Haskell Invitational
OCEANPORT, N.J. -- Journalism launched a dramatic rally to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Saturday at Monmouth Park. It was Journalism's first race since the Triple Crown. He was the only colt to contest all three legs, winning the Preakness while finishing second to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Heavily favored at 2-5 odds, Journalism broke poorly under jockey Umberto Rispoli and wound up trailing the early leaders. He kicked into gear rounding the final turn to find Gosger and Goal Oriented locked in a dogfight for the lead. It appeared one of them would be the winner until Journalism roared down the center of the track to win by a half-length. 'You feel like you're on a diesel,' Rispoli said. 'He's motoring and motoring. You never know when he's going to take off. To do what he did today again, it's unbelievable.' Gosger held on for second, a neck ahead of Goal Oriented. The Haskell victory was Journalism's sixth in nine starts for Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy, and earned the colt a berth in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Journalism paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- NBC Sports
Journalism rallies with final burst to win $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park
OCEANPORT, N.J. — Journalism launched a dramatic rally to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Saturday at Monmouth Park. It was Journalism's first race since the Triple Crown. He was the only colt to contest all three legs, winning the Preakness while finishing second to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Heavily favored at 2-5 odds, Journalism broke poorly under jockey Umberto Rispoli and wound up trailing the early leaders. He kicked into gear rounding the final turn to find Gosger and Goal Oriented locked in a dogfight for the lead. It appeared one of them would be the winner until Journalism roared down the center of the track to win by a half-length. 'You feel like you're on a diesel,' Rispoli said. 'He's motoring and motoring. You never know when he's going to take off. To do what he did today again, it's unbelievable.' Gosger held on for second, a neck ahead of Goal Oriented. The Haskell victory was Journalism's sixth in nine starts for Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy, and earned the colt a berth in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Journalism paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.
