D. Wayne Lukas, the most influential thoroughbred horseman in modern times, has been hospitalized and will not return to training, according to a news release from Churchill Downs on Sunday.
The 89-year-old Hall of Famer suffered a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] infection that caused “significant damage to his heart [and] digestive system and worsened preexisting chronic conditions," his family said in a statement.
The statement also said Lukas had declined an aggressive treatment plan and would soon return home [from a Louisville hospital] “to spend his remaining time with his wife Laurie,’’ his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Lukas, who began training thoroughbreds full time in 1978 after a Hall of Fame career in quarter horses, became the oldest trainer at 88 to win a Triple Crown race when Seize the Grey captured the Preakness Stakes (G1) in 2024. His final winner was June 12 at Churchill Downs with 4-year-old colt Tour Player in a second-level allowance.
Horses currently trained by Lukas have been transferred to his veteran assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl.
Usually the first to show up at the track in the morning aboard his pony and wearing his cowboy hat, Lukas won 4,967 races during his six decades of training – among them four wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1), seven in the Preakness, and four in the Belmont Stakes (G1). His 15 Triple Crown race wins are second only to Bob Baffert’s 17.
Lukas is tied for the most Breeders’ Cup race victories with 20.
Lukas, nicknamed ‘Coach’ because of his days as a high school basketball coach in Wisconsin, won just about every big race in the United States. He’s a four-time Eclipse Award winner as North America’s top trainer and trained 26 Eclipse Award champions, including three voted Horse of the Year -- Lady’s Secret (1986), Criminal Type (1990), and Charismatic (1999).
“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.”
Among his notable victories: the 1980 Preakness when Codex survived a foul claim of interference with Derby-winning filly Genuine Risk; the 1988 Kentucky Derby with the filly Winning Colors; and in 1994-96, he won six consecutive Triple Crown races – the Preakness and Belmont in 1994 with Tabasco Cat; the 1995 Derby with Thunder Gulch, the Preakness with Timber Country, and the Belmont with Thunder Gulch; and the 1996 Derby with Grindstone.
He also hired assistants who eventually went out on their own to become quite successful. Among Lukas’ ‘training tree’ were Mark Hennig, Mike Maker, Kiaran McLaughlin, Todd Pletcher, Dallas Stewart, and George Weaver.
Lukas’ son Jeff was also an assistant before he suffered devastating injuries in 1993 when Tabasco Cat broke loose from his handlers and slammed into Lukas’ son, causing permanent brain damage. Jeff passed away in 2016.
