Hall of Fame horse racing trainer D. Wayne Lukas, one of the most influential and successful figures in the sport’s history, has been hospitalized and will not return to training, Churchill Downs announced Sunday following conversations with his family. The 89-year-old has been battling a severe infection that has worsened, and his family confirmed he has chosen to forgo aggressive treatment in favor of hospice care at home.
Lukas, affectionately known as “Coach” throughout the racing world, leaves behind a towering legacy in Thoroughbred racing. He is second only to Bob Baffert in Triple Crown race victories with 15 wins, including four Kentucky Derby titles since 1988. He earned his most recent Triple Crown victory just last year, when Seize the Grey captured the 2023 Preakness Stakes—his seventh win in that leg of the series, just one shy of Baffert’s record. In addition to his Triple Crown success, Lukas holds a record-tying 20 wins in the Breeders’ Cup and has amassed 4,967 documented victories in Thoroughbred racing, with his horses earning over $310 million in career winnings from more than 30,600 starts.
Churchill Downs president Mike Anderson praised Lukas as “one of the greatest competitors and most important figures in Thoroughbred racing history,” noting that his influence extended far beyond the track. “He transcended the sport of horse racing and took the industry to new levels,” Anderson said. “The lasting impact of his character and wisdom, from his acute horsemanship to his unmatched attention to detail, will be truly missed.”
Assistant trainer Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl, who will now oversee Lukas’ stable, reflected on the mentor he worked beside for years. “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.”
Born Darnell Wayne Lukas on September 2, 1935, in Wisconsin, Lukas was the second of three children and began his career in athletics as a high school basketball coach before transitioning to horse racing. He started with quarter horses, excelling in sprint races, and eventually shifted to Thoroughbreds in the late 1970s. He won his first Preakness Stakes with Codex in 1980, launching a decades-long dominance in major stakes races.
Even into his late 80s, Lukas maintained a hands-on role, often seen riding his pony in the early morning hours at the track, preferring to manage training firsthand rather than delegate. His work ethic, vision, and mentorship helped shape a generation of trainers and elevated the standards of modern racing.
As he steps away from the sport amid declining health, Lukas leaves behind not just records, but an enduring legacy of excellence, innovation, and resilience.
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