Legendary Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas passed away peacefully at his Louisville, Kentucky home on Saturday night, June 28, 2025, at the age of 89. His family announced the news on Sunday, sharing that Lukas had been battling a severe MRSA blood infection that severely damaged his heart and digestive system, exacerbating pre-existing chronic conditions. Choosing to forgo aggressive treatment, Lukas spent his final days surrounded by loved ones and embraced by the peace and faith he cherished.
Born Darnell Wayne Lukas on September 2, 1935, in Antigo, Wisconsin, Lukas did not follow the typical path of many horse trainers who grew up in Kentucky’s racing heartland. Instead, he grew up on a Wisconsin farm where horse racing was limited to county fairs, far from the glitz of the Triple Crown circuit. After earning a master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin in 1961, Lukas briefly pursued a career as a high school basketball coach, a role that earned him the enduring nickname “The Coach.”
His transition to horse training began in 1968 at Los Alamitos, where he initially trained quarter horses, winning 739 races and saddling 24 world champions before shifting his focus to thoroughbreds by the late 1970s. Lukas recorded his first thoroughbred victory on October 20, 1977, at Santa Anita Park and quickly rose to prominence in the sport. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he amassed 4,967 documented wins from over 30,600 starts, with his horses earning more than $301 million in prize money.
Lukas' legacy is punctuated by his remarkable record in the Triple Crown races. He won a total of 15 Triple Crown events, including four Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakness Stakes, and four Belmont Stakes victories. His Derby winners included iconic horses such as Winning Colors (1988), Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996), and Charismatic (1999). The 1995 season was particularly historic, as Lukas became the first trainer to win all three Triple Crown races in the same year with two different horses: Thunder Gulch took the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, while Timber Country captured the Preakness.
His success extended beyond the Triple Crown. Lukas holds a record-tying 20 wins in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and won the Kentucky Oaks—the filly equivalent of the Derby—five times. Among the 26 Eclipse Award-winning horses he trained, three earned Horse of the Year honors: Lady’s Secret (1986), Criminal Type (1990), and Charismatic (1999). His 1999 Breeders’ Cup Classic victory with long shot Cat Thief remains a standout moment in racing history.
Known for his relentless work ethic and keen horsemanship, Lukas was famous for his meticulous care of his horses and barns, often personally overseeing training sessions well into his late 80s. In May 2025, just weeks before his death, he participated in his 34th and final Preakness Stakes, where he shared his philosophy: “The whole secret of this game, I think, is being able to read the horse: Read what he needs, what he doesn’t need, what he can’t do, what he can do,” Lukas said. “That’s the whole key. Everybody’s got the blacksmith, everybody’s got the same bed available, the feed man. We all can hire a good jockey. We all can hire a pretty good exercise rider if we’ve got the means, so what the hell is the difference? The horse is the difference and what we do with him in reading him.”
His final Triple Crown win came in 2024 with Seize the Grey, making Lukas the oldest trainer ever to win a Triple Crown race at age 88. This victory was a testament to his enduring passion and skill. “If you have a passion, you eliminate all the excuses,” he said. “That’s how it works. You get up early. You go without a meal. You drive. You go without sleep — as long as you got the passion. Don’t let that sofa pull you down.”
Lukas’ influence extended beyond his own achievements. His “coaching tree” includes some of the sport’s most successful trainers, such as Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox, and notable trainers like Kiaran McLaughlin and Dallas Stewart. His long-time friendship and rivalry with fellow trainer Bob Baffert was well-known, with the two often exchanging witty banter while sharing mutual respect. Baffert said after Lukas’ death, “Behind his famous shades, he was a tremendous horseman, probably the greatest who ever lived.”
Despite his many triumphs, Lukas’ career was not without hardship. In 1993, his son and assistant, Jeff Lukas, was severely injured by a loose horse at Santa Anita. Jeff’s injury ended his career and he passed away in 2016, a loss that Lukas carried deeply. His family’s statement noted that Lukas found peace knowing he was reunited with his beloved son.
Throughout his career, Lukas earned numerous accolades, including four Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer (1985, 1986, 1987, and 1994) and induction into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 1999 as well as the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2007. He won 11 training titles at Churchill Downs between 1988 and 2000, underscoring his dominance on one of horse racing’s most storied tracks.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen reflected on Lukas’ passing: “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. 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.”
Longtime assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl, who has managed Lukas’ operations since 2002, will continue the legacy from Barn 44 at Churchill Downs. Nicholl remarked, “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 he’s built.”
The Lukas family expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from the racing community, from lifelong friends and rivals to fans who followed Lukas’ storied career. They have asked that donations in his memory be made to the Oaklawn or Churchill Backside Chaplaincy or the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, organizations close to Lukas’ heart.
D. Wayne Lukas’ impact on horse racing is immeasurable. From humble beginnings in Wisconsin to becoming one of the sport’s most influential figures, his passion, grit, and dedication transformed horse racing and inspired generations of horsemen and horsewomen. His legacy, both on and off the track, will endure for many years to come.
