The legendary horse coach D. Wayne Lukas dead at age 89
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D. Wayne Lukas, the legendary horse coach who won 15 triple Crown races, died, his family announced Sunday. I was 89 years old,
Lukas had recently been hospitalized with a severe blood infection of Mrsa that caused important damage to his heart and digestive system. The disease worsened the pre -existing chronic conditions.
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American Promise coach D. Wayne Lukas before race 150 of preakness bets, on May 17, 2025, in the Pimclic Carreras course in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
“Wayne dedicated his life not only to horses but to the industry, developing generations of riders and women of horses and cultivating the game by inviting fans off guard to the winner’s circle,” said his family.
“Whether he boasts of a single age of 2 years as the next winner of the Kentucky derby or offered quiet words of advice before a great career, Wayne brought heart, grace and sand to every corner of sport. His last days spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family and faith.”
Lukas had four victories of Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, as well as seven victories in Preakness Stakes. Those trained in Lukas seized Gray won the preakness in 2024.
Coach D. Wayne Lukas observes a training at Churchill Downs on May 1, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo AP/Charlie Riedel, Archive)
Belmont Stakes attracts more than 3.8 million viewers when sovereignty takes home La Victoria
It also has 20 record victories in the Cup of Breeders.
“I think that all the secret of this game is to be able to read the horse: read what you need, what you don’t need, what you can’t do, what you can do,” Lukas said in May before the preakness. “That is the whole key. Everyone has the blacksmith, everyone has the same bed available, the man of Feed. We can all hire a good rider. We can all hire an exercise pilot quite good if we have the media, so what demons is the difference? The horse is the difference and what do we do with him when reading it.”
He has 4,967 victories in blood races with his horses earning more than $ 310 million more than 30,600 openings.
D. Wayne Lukas talks to the media after arriving at the Pimician racing course in Baltimore, with the preakness participant Stakes American Promise, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Archive)
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“Today we lost one of Churchill Downs champions and one of the most important figures in pure blood races in the last 50 years,” added the CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., Bill Carstanjen. “We will miss his humor, his wisdom and his unparalleled ability to excite fans with the actions of their horses in the greatest days of our sport.”
News contributed to this report.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor of News Digital.