Medical Issues Force Lukas to End Training Career

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, one of the most prolific trainers and influences in horse racing history, has been hospitalized in Louisville, Ky. and will not return to training, according to Lukas family members. According to the family, Lukas, 89, has battled a severe infection that has worsened his condition. Lukas has declined an aggressive treatment plan and will soon return home to spend his remaining time with wife Laurie, grandchildren Brady Wayne Lukas (Dani) and Kelly Roy (David) and great grandchildren Johnny Roy, Thomas Roy, Walker Wayne Lukas, and Quinn Palmer Lukas. The family is requesting privacy during this difficult time. In a detailed and smooth succession plan put in place by Lukas Enterprises Inc., the horses previously under Lukas' care have been transferred to his veteran assistant Sebastian "Bas" Nicholl. Enshrined in horse racing's Hall of Fame in 1999, Lukas is a four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and five-time winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1). He trained 26 Eclipse Award champions, including three that were crowned Horse of the Year. "Wayne is one of the greatest competitors and most important figures in Thoroughbred racing history," said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. "He transcended the sport of horse racing and took the industry to new levels. The lasting impact of his character and wisdom—from his acute horsemanship to his unmatched attention to detail—will be truly missed. The enormity of this news is immense, and our prayers are with his family and friends around the world during this difficult time." During his six-decade career, Lukas amassed 4,967 Thoroughbred 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 triumph came June 12 at Churchill Downs with 4-year-old colt Tour Player in a second-level allowance over seven furlongs. The horse was transferred to Lukas for him to train by his close friend and fellow Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, whose wife Jill owned the son of American Pharoah. Nicholl, a native of England, spent eight years in the British Army and rose to the rank of captain. He was a tank commander in Operation Desert Storm during the First Gulf War in the early 1990s. Nicholl left the British Army in 1995 to work in horse racing for prominent Irish steeplechase trainer Edward O'Grady. In 1999, he came to the United States to work with trainer Pat Byrne before joining Lukas' operation on Jan. 18, 2002. "Wayne built a legacy that will never be matched," Nicholl said. "Every decision I make, every horse I saddle, I'll hear his voice in the back of my mind. This isn't about filling his shoes—no one can—it's about honoring everything that he's built." Horses under Lukas' care posted 15 victories in Triple Crown races, which is second only to Baffert's 17. He trained a record-equaling 20 winners of Breeders' Cup Championship races. Additionally, Lukas earned four Eclipse Awards that honored him as the nation's top trainer and was a 14-time national leader in money-won (1983-92 and '94-97). Lukas had a stable based at Churchill Downs since 1989, and the gap near the six-furlong pole is commonly referred to as "The Lukas Gap" because it's near his Barn 44. In 2015, Churchill renamed the former Homecoming Classic to the Lukas Classic to salute Lukas' accomplishments, contributions and influence on Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and the horse industry. Since then, the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic for older horses has grown from a $175,000 listed race into a prominent grade 2 event with a $500,000 purse staged five weeks in advance of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Lukas, whose given first name is Darrell, was born Sept. 2, 1935—the second of three children—and raised on a 10-acre farm in a small farming community outside of his birthplace, Antigo, Wisc. During his youth, he raced his pony at the Antigo County Fairgrounds and began developing skills for evaluating and buying horses before he was in high school. Lukas went to college and graduated with a master's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin where he later worked as an assistant basketball coach for two years. He taught high school and was a head basketball coach for nine years, which included a seven-year stint in LaCrosse, Wisc. Those formidable years led to his respectful nickname around the racetrack later in life: "Coach." In 1968, Lukas began to train and race Quarter Horses at Park Jefferson in South Dakota during the summers before turning to training full-time. He settled in California in 1972 and quickly established himself as a top Quarter Horse trainer, averaging more than $1 million in purse earnings a year. He inducted in the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2007 to become the first person to enter both the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse shrines. Lukas turned to training Thoroughbreds on a full-time basis in 1978 with seven horses. He arrived at Southern California's Santa Anita Park and trimmed his barn with white picket fencing, beds of flowers and freshly-painted feed tubs used only for decoration - a trademark he used throughout his career. Lukas revolutionized the training of Thoroughbreds in the late 1970s and 1980s. He employed skillful assistant trainers and had horses in training from coast to coast. Top horses from his high-powered satellite stables would regularly fly into town for top stakes events at locales around the country, which led to the popular racetrack phrase "D. Wayne off the plane." The Lukas "training tree" includes former assistants Bobby Barnett, Randy Bradshaw, Mark Hennig, Mike Maker, Kiaran McLaughlin, Todd Pletcher, Dallas Stewart and George Weaver, just to name a few. His favorite assistant, however, was his late and only son Jeff, who suffered devastating injuries during a morning training accident at Santa Anita in December 1993 when precocious 2-year-old and emerging star Tabasco Cat broke loose from his handlers. Jeff Lukas, 36, stepped in front of the runaway horse and tried to stop him but the colt slammed into him, shattered his skull and left him in a coma for several weeks which resulted in permanent brain damage. Jeff was bravely recuperating and recovered well enough to eventually return to work on a part-time basis in June 1994 but it lasted for a brief period. After residing in the small town of Atoka, Okla., Jeff Lukas passed away at age 58 on March 24, 2016. Lukas, who was well-known for his sharp eye and often was described as flashy, self-confident and a sharp dresser, actively recruited wealthy owners that would spend millions of dollars at the yearling horse sales. One of his most principal clients in the early years was former San Diego Chargers owner Eugene Klein, who would buy a $575,000 filly named Winning Colors in 1986 that would become Lukas' first Kentucky Derby winner. His other three Derby winners are Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996), and Charistmatic (1999). His final classic winner arrived just last year when Seize the Grey captured the Preakness Stakes (G1). National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association CEO Eric Hamelback released a statement: "We, the affiliates of the National HBPA, along with the entire horse racing community, are keeping Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas in our thoughts and prayers after learning the news of his illness coming to light. "Wayne Lukas is more than just a legendary name in Thoroughbred racing, he is an icon whose impact on this sport spans generations. His unmatched accomplishments, from multiple Eclipse Awards to countless classic victories, have set a standard of excellence that few will ever reach. Beyond his victories on the racetrack, Wayne's mentorship of countless horsemen and women has helped shape the very fabric of our industry. "One of my strongest appreciations of the Coach was in 2022 when he graciously served as our keynote speaker at the NHBPA National Conference at Oaklawn Park. Wayne graciously shared his wisdom, insights, and passion for the sport with all in attendance. His words that day inspired those in attendance and he reminded us of his formula for success: enduring values, hard work, integrity, and vision - and yes more hard work. His strength and determination, have defined his remarkable career, continue to inspire us all. "On behalf of the NHBPA and horsemen across the country, we extend our deepest support and well-wishes to Wayne and his family during this difficult time."