{"id":11533662,"date":"2025-06-29T15:38:47","date_gmt":"2025-06-29T19:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11533662&preview=true&preview_id=11533662"},"modified":"2025-06-30T03:34:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T07:34:07","slug":"hall-of-fame-horse-trainer-d-wayne-lukas-a-winner-of-15-triple-crown-races-dies-at-89","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/06\/29\/hall-of-fame-horse-trainer-d-wayne-lukas-a-winner-of-15-triple-crown-races-dies-at-89\/","title":{"rendered":"Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a winner of 15 Triple Crown races, dies at 89"},"content":{"rendered":"

D. Wayne Lukas, the Hall of Famer who became one of the most accomplished trainers in the history of horse racing and a face of the sport for decades, has died. He was 89.<\/p>\n

His family said Sunday that Lukas died Saturday night at his Louisville, Kentucky, home. Lukas had been hospitalized<\/a> with a severe MRSA blood infection that caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system and worsened pre-existing chronic conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry \u2014 developing generations of horsemen and horsewomen and growing the game by inviting unsuspecting fans into the winner\u2019s circle,\u201d his family said in a statement. \u201cWhether he was boasting about a maiden 2-year-old as the next Kentucky Derby winner or offering quiet words of advice before a big race, Wayne brought heart, grace, and grit to every corner of the sport. His final days were spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family, and faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lukas won 15 Triple Crown races, including the Kentucky Derby four times. Only good friend Bob Baffert has more Triple Crown victories, and Lukas owns a record-tying 20 in the Breeders\u2019 Cup World Championships.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole secret of this game, I think, is being able to read the horse: Read what he needs, what he doesn\u2019t need, what he can\u2019t do, what he can do,\u201d Lukas said in May before his 34th and final Preakness Stakes. \u201cThat\u2019s the whole key. Everybody\u2019s got the blacksmith, everybody\u2019s got to 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\u2019ve got the means, so what the hell is the difference? The horse is the difference and what we do with him in reading him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lukas was affectionately known around the barns and the racetrack as \u201cCoach\u201d because he coached high school basketball before his professional career with horses began. Even with months to go before his 90th birthday, he would get up on his pony in the early morning hours and go out to the track himself, rather than letting his assistants do the day-to-day work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Maryland Jockey Club mourns the loss of legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a true titan of Thoroughbred racing,\u201d said Bill Knauf, president and general manager of TMJC. \u201cHis unmatched accomplishments, unwavering dedication, and enduring influence on the sport have left an indelible mark on racing history. With seven wins in the Preakness Stakes, D. Wayne was not only a champion on the track but a mentor and inspiration to generations of horsemen and women. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the entire racing community. His legacy will forever be part of Maryland Racing and the Preakness Stakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born Darnell Wayne Lukas on Sept. 2, 1935, in Wisconsin as the second of three children, he rose to prominence in the sport with quarter horses in races that are effectively sprints. He moved into thoroughbreds in the late 1970s and won his first Preakness with Codex in 1980.<\/p>\n