Here he comes again, Churchill Downs. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby for what would be his record-extending 31st Run for the Roses.
Lukas-trained American Promise rolled to a 7 Âľ-length victory in the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs on Saturday (March 15), earning 50 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and all but sealing a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.
Not only that, Lukas has a pair of 3-year-olds entered in Kentucky Derby prep races on Saturday (March 22), Caldera in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at the Fair Grounds, and Innovator in the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park. Each race offers 2025 Kentucky Derby points of 100-50-25-15-10 to the first five finishers.
For Lukas, running in the 2025 Kentucky Derby is nothing new. He’s won the race four times, most recently with Charismatic in 1999; he’s sent out 50 horses in his 30 Derbies, beginning in 1981 with Partez, who finished third.
In 1996, he was the first trainer to saddle five Derby starters, winning with Grindstone, who nosed out trainer Bob Baffert’s Cavonnier in Baffert’s first Derby experience.
Lukas has sent out three starters in a Derby five times, winning with Thunder Gulch in 1995. He also won the 1988 Derby with the filly Winning Colors.
If all goes well this weekend, Caldera and Innovator could pick up enough points to join American Promise on Derby Day.
A year ago, in his 30th Derby, Lukas sent out Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Just Steel, who contested the pace early but faded around the far turn and finished 17th. Earlier on the Derby card, Lukas’ Seize the Grey won the Pat Day Mile (G2) and two weeks later went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1), giving Lukas a seventh victory in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
When it comes to the Triple Crown races, Lukas has four Derby wins, seven Preakness wins, and four Belmont Stakes wins. That’s 15 Triple Crown race victories, including six in a row – the Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 1994 with Tabasco Cat; the Derby with Thunder Gulch, the Preakness with Timber Country, and the Belmont with Thunder Gulch in 1995; and the Derby with Grindstone in 1996.
Jockey Nik Juarez was aboard American Promise for the first time and is scheduled to ride Innovator in the Jeff Ruby Steaks.
“I'm just a guy who is lucky enough to be named to ride Mr. Lukas' horses,’’ Juarez said after the Virginia Derby. “To be heading to the Derby for him is a dream come true. American Promise is doing so well. He proved himself out there.”
Bas Nicholl, Lukas’ assistant who made the trip to Virginia, had only praise for Juarez, hoping to ride in his first Derby.
“It worked out perfectly,’’ said Nicholl. “I think it was a perfect ride by the jockey. He got him into a perfect stalking position and then executed perfectly.”
Sent off at 7-1 in the Virginia Derby, American Promise returned $16.80 for a $2 win bet after overtaking 4-5 favorite and pacesetter Getaway Car. The imposing chestnut son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify was purchased for $750,000 by Brian Coelho and John Bellinger’s BC Stables, which also owned Just Steel.
And when it comes time to wager on the preps this weekend, The Lukas colts should not be overlooked.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
