Latest news with #DWayneLukas
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
D. Wayne Lukas revolutionized horse racing: An Appreciation
For over 50 years, D. Wayne Lukas set the standard in horse racing. And the sport followed suit. Trainers wanted to be like Wayne. Owners wanted him handling their horses. He died Saturday at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, his family announced through Churchill Downs on Sunday. He was 89.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
D. Wayne Lukas revolutionized horse racing: An Appreciation
For over 50 years, D. Wayne Lukas set the standard in horse racing. And the sport followed suit. Trainers wanted to be like Wayne. Owners wanted him handling their horses. He died Saturday at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, his family announced through Churchill Downs on Sunday. He was 89. Lukas' death, mourned across the racing industry, came just days after his family said he would no longer train because of health issues. He was hospitalized with a severe MRSA infection and declined an aggressive treatment plan, instead choosing to return home. His stable of horses was transferred to his longtime assistant Sebastian Nicholl. Lukas' 4,953rd and final thoroughbred winner was Tour Player at Churchill Downs on June 12. His final Kentucky Derby runner finished 16th in May. There are generations who've never known horse racing without Lukas in it. Much of what American trainers do today is based on his playbook: identifying and buying the best horses at the sales, shipping them to race at tracks nationwide, aiming to compete yearly in what he called 'the big arena' -- the Triple Crown series and the Breeders' Cup world championships. 'The horses were everything to Wayne. They were his life,' one-time rival trainer and longtime friend Bob Baffert posted on X. '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.' Born and raised on a small farm in Antigo, Wisconsin, Lukas grew up around horses. He first coached high school basketball in his home state, later serving as an assistant at the University of Wisconsin. In 1968, Lukas moved to California and began training quarter horses. He found success, overseeing 24 world champions in 10 years. He then switched to thoroughbreds, saddling his first winner at Santa Anita in 1977. He became the first trainer to earn over $100 million in purse money, and 14 times he led the nation in money won. 'A lot of nice records fell and a lot of good things happened,' he said in 2022. Lukas had an edge to him in his heyday, cutting a suave figure at the track in his expensive suits, his eyes hidden behind aviator sunglasses. He ran his operation like a corporate CEO, overseeing some 400 horses around the country. There was no time to rest on his laurels. He was never content to appreciate what he had achieved. Instead, he was always looking for the next great horse, the next big stakes win. His statistics are overwhelming: — 15 Triple Crown race victories, including six in a row — 20 Breeders' Cup victories — three Horse of the Year champions — four Eclipse Awards as the nation's outstanding trainer — first trainer to be inducted in both the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame Nearly until his final days, Lukas would be aboard his stable pony, Bucky, in the predawn darkness, leading his horses to the track and supervising their workouts. Out of the saddle, he was easily spotted in his white Stetson, using a cane in one of his few concessions to age. Some years ago, though, the glory days seemed lost and never to return. A handful of Lukas' deep-pocketed owners died within a short time of each other, leaving his stock of horseflesh depleted. He wasn't a serious factor in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. In 2020, he recovered from a case of COVID-19. Still, he kept getting up at 3:30 a.m., spending winters in Arkansas and springs in Kentucky. He returned to the 2-year-old sales, scouting promising horses that he could develop his way. He also trained for MyRacehorse, a syndicate selling shares in horses for as little as $100. Lukas marveled at the logjam of happy owners in the winner's circle. The tide soon turned. In 2022, Lukas earned his record-tying fifth victory in the Kentucky Oaks and first since 1990. He became the oldest trainer to win a Triple Crown race when Seize the Grey won the 2024 Preakness and followed up with a victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. On that May afternoon in Baltimore, there was an impromptu surge of adulation for Lukas from his rivals. In a business rife with jealousy, the losers stepped up to congratulate the wily veteran. Lukas lived to a ripe old age, long enough to experience the reverence he had earned and so richly deserved. 'No one was bigger to this Game Except for Wayne,' retired Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens wrote on X. Over his last 25 years, Lukas had segued into racing's elder stateman, unafraid to express his opinions about an industry struggling to stay afloat within its ranks and with the public. 'With age and experience you inherit a certain amount of responsibility to maybe carry the game a little further,' he told The Associated Press in 2015. Lukas had been there, done that and knew the feeling of winning. He wanted to share it with his newest owners as well as total strangers. He would often pull youngsters out of the stands and usher them to the winner's circle to pose for the photo. The man nicknamed 'Coach' took fatherly pride in his string of former assistants who went on to successful careers of their own, most notably Todd Pletcher, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner. 'Wayne had a special aura about him,' Baffert posted on X. '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.' ___ AP horse racing:
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Legendary trainer D Wayne Lukas dead aged 89 as grieving family say he's now at peace ‘reunited with late son'
His late son was his best friend SAD LOSS Legendary trainer D Wayne Lukas dead aged 89 as grieving family say he's now at peace 'reunited with late son' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEGENDARY horse trainer D Wayne Lukas has died aged 89. His grieving family say the iconic handler - whose death came 24 hours after the passing of British giant Barry Hills - is now 'at peace' and reunited with his beloved late son. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Racing has lost a giant in the shape of the iconic D Wayne Lukas, who passed away on Saturday evening aged 89 Credit: Getty 2 The sharp-dressing, smooth-talking, big-spending Lukas changed racing forever Credit: Getty Lukas, who passed away surrounded by loved ones in Kentucky, US, was rushed to hospital last week with a 'worsening' serious illness. He refused all treatment because he wanted to spend his final days at home. A statement from his family read: "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 on Saturday 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." Jeff, Lukas' only child, suffered horrendous injuries when trying to stop a loose colt at Santa Anita in December 1993. The horse smashed into him, shattered his skull and left him in a coma for several weeks, resulting in permanent brain damage. Although he showed enough signs of recovery to work again, it was short lived. Jeff, who was his dad's best mate and favourite assistant trainer over the years, passed away aged 58 in March 2016. Lukas, 89, trained some of the biggest names in the sport including previous Horses of the Year Charismatic and Criminal Type. He won the Kentucky Derby four times and dominated the Triple Crown races, winning six in a row in the mid-Nineties. He shares the record alongside Aidan O'Brien for most Breeders' Cup wins with 20. His incredible career has seen him amass prize money earnings of £225million from a jaw-dropping 4,967 winners. Lukas, whose first given name was Darrell, had his final at Churchill Downs, home of the Derby, earlier this month. Lukas was pictured riding out at Belmont racetrack just last month and his rapid decline from a 'severe infection' shocked the sport. The horses in his yard will now be trained by his British assistant and former Army veteran Sebastian 'Bas' Nicholl. Tributes for the sharp-dressed, big-spending Lukas flooded in. Record-breaking trainer Bob Baffert 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."
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Hall of Fame trainer and horse racing legend D. Wayne Lukas dies at 89
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who saddled four Kentucky Derby winners among his 15 winners in U.S. Triple Crown races, has died at the age of 89, his family said Sunday. In a statement released through Churchill Downs, the family said Lukas died at home on Saturday night, a week after an infection sent him to hospital, and he decided not to pursue aggressive treatment. "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," the family said. Lukas was one of the most accomplished trainers in U.S. racing history. His 15 Triple Crown victories are second only to Bob Baffert's 17, and he is tied with Ireland's Aidan O'Brien for most Breeders' Cup wins for a trainer with 20. He saddled his most recent Triple Crown race winner last year with Seize the Grey in the Preakness Stakes — his seventh Preakness triumph. "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," Bill Carstanjen, chief executive of Churchill Downs Incorporated, said in a statement. "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." The Breeders' Cup issued a statement hailing Lukas' innovative training approach and a legacy that "continues through the many horsemen who came up under his astute guidance before finding tremendous success on their own. "The dedication, discipline, passion, and insight with which he ran his operation will serve as an inspiration for many generations," the Breeders' Cup said in its statement. National Thoroughbred Racing Association President Tom Rooney said it was "hard to imagine" racing without Lukas. "His horsemanship reshaped the sport," Rooney said. "If there's a Mount Rushmore of trainers, D. Wayne Lukas is on it." Churchill Downs confirmed last week that the horses in Lukas' care had been transferred to veteran assistant Sebastian "Bas" Nicholl. In a career spanning six decades, Lukas amassed 4,967 documented thoroughbred wins. He trained 26 Eclipse Award winners, including three that were named Horse of the Year.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a winner of 15 Triple Crown races, dies at 89
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — D. Wayne Lukas, a Hall of Fame horse trainer who won 15 Triple Crown races, has died. He was 89. Lukas' family said he died at his home Saturday night. 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. Of his 15 Triple Crown race victories, Lukas won the Kentucky Derby four times. Only good friend Bob Baffert had more Triple Crown victories. The beloved, old-school trainer known affectionately as 'Coach' was still getting on the pony himself in the morning for workouts even with his 90th birthday approaching. ___ AP horse racing:
