Longtime Horseman Lugovich Dies at 80

Thoroughbred owner/trainer Richard John Lugovich, 80, of East Hanover Township in Pennsylvania, died Nov. 15. He was 80. Born Sept. 3, 1942 in Bridgeport, Conn., he was a son of the late Stanley and Martha (Wolynski) Lugovich and also preceded in death by siblings June and Stanley Jr. A self-employed horse trainer, he is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lisa L. (Hubbell) Lugovich; sons Richard John Lugovich Jr., Stephen Michael Lugovich, and John Daniel Lugovich; and brother Charles Lugovich. As a trainer, Equibase lists Lugovich as having won 106 races from 1,409 starts with earnings of $1,791,055 from 1978-2022. His most recent starter was Listening In, who ran second at Finger Lakes Nov. 9. His top earner was Hold the Salsa, whom he owned and raced to stakes victories at Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack in 2020. Active through this year, the Hold Me Back 4-year-old colt is 3-for-15 with earnings of $284,162. Hold the Salsa was bred in New York by Lugovich out of the King Cugat mare Northern Mambo. Lugovich also bred and campaigned other runners that earned more than $100,000, including Royal Jest, Lost in the Woods, and Regal Chant. A celebration of Lugovich's life will be held in the spring of 2023. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Cutler Scholars Fund, P.O. Box 56, Cutler, ME 04626, or USO, P. O. Box 96860, Washington, DC 20077.