Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, one of the most prolific trainers and influences in horse racing history, has been hospitalized in Louisville, Ky. and will not return to training, according to Lukas family members.
According to the family, Lukas, 89, has battled a severe infection that has worsened his condition. Lukas has declined an aggressive treatment plan and will soon return home to spend his remaining time with wife Laurie, grandchildren Brady Wayne Lukas (Dani) and Kelly Roy (David) and great grandchildren Johnny Roy, Thomas Roy, Walker Wayne Lukas and Quinn Palmer Lukas.
The family is requesting privacy during this difficult time.
In a detailed and smooth succession plan put in place by Lukas Enterprises Inc., the horses previously under Lukas’ care have been transferred to his veteran assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl.
Enshrined in horse racing’s Hall of Fame in 1999, Lukas is a four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and five-time winner of the Longines Kentucky Oaks. He was the trainer of 26 Eclipse Award champions, including three that were crowned Horse of the Year.
“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.”
During his six-decade career, Lukas amassed 4,967 documented Thoroughbred wins and his horses earned more than $301 million from 30,607 starts, including 1,105 stakes wins of which 637 were of the graded stakes variety.
His final triumph came June 12 at Churchill Downs with 4-year-old colt Tour Player in a second-level allowance over seven furlongs. The horse was transferred to Lukas for him to train by his close friend and fellow Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, whose wife Jill owned the son of American Pharoah.
Nicholl, a native of England, spent eight years in the British Army and rose to the rank of captain. He was a tank commander in Operation Desert Storm during the First Gulf War in the early 1990s. Nicholl left the British Army in 1995 to work in horse racing for prominent Irish steeplechase trainer Edward O’Grady. In 1999, he came to the United States to work with trainer Pat Byrne before joining Lukas’ operation on Jan. 18, 2002.
“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.”
Read the entire release here.
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