LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The heart of American horse racing has lost one of its most iconic and beloved figures. D. Wayne Lukas, a titan of the sport and Hall of Fame trainer who redefined excellence with 15 Triple Crown victories and a record-tying 20 Breeders’ Cup wins, died Saturday night at his home in Louisville. He was 89.
Lukas, known as “Coach” by generations of horsemen and fans alike, passed away following complications from a severe MRSA blood infection, which significantly impacted his heart and digestive system. His family shared that he spent his final days surrounded by peace, faith, and the love of those closest to him.
Born Darnell Wayne Lukas on September 2, 1935, in Antigo, Wisconsin, Lukas began his professional life coaching high school basketball before making an indelible mark on horse racing. With a tireless work ethic and uncanny instinct for understanding horses, he became one of the sport’s greatest minds, transforming the modern training landscape and nurturing the careers of future Hall of Famers.
“The whole secret of this game is being able to read the horse,” Lukas once said. “The horse is the difference — and what we do with him in reading him.”
That difference earned Lukas an astonishing 4,967 wins and over $310 million in earnings across more than 30,000 starts. He won the Kentucky Derby four times, the Preakness six times — including his most recent win in 2023 with Seize the Grey — and the Belmont Stakes five times. Yet his influence was felt far beyond the winner’s circle.
“Wayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry,” his family wrote. “Whether boasting about a maiden 2-year-old or offering quiet advice before a big race, he brought heart, grace, and grit to every corner of the sport.”
Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen mourned the loss, calling Lukas “one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most significant figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years.”
Even into his late 80s, Lukas was a fixture at dawn, riding out on his pony alongside the colts and fillies he still mentored. Passion never left his voice — nor his soul. “If you have a passion, you eliminate all the excuses,” he said in one of his final interviews.
That passion now lives on in the countless trainers he mentored, the horses he developed, and the fans he inspired.
D. Wayne Lukas leaves behind a legacy that gallops well beyond the track. He was a champion — not only of races but of people, possibility, and perseverance.
