Legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas passes at 89
After being assigned her barn at Saratoga for the summer, Cherie DeVaux took to Facebook to share what it meant to move into Barn 83, once the summer home to the legendary D. Wayne Lukas.
“Wayne didn’t just train horses. He set a standard. He built a legacy that inspired generations, myself included. And while the tack room may bear a new name this summer, his spirit lingers in every inch of this place.”
With the passing of Lukas on Sunday at the age of 89, his spirit doesn't just linger in that barn, but rather throughout the sport of horse racing. That spirit is etched into the history books and pumped through the hearts of racing fans everywhere.
Take away the Churchill Downs stretch-sized list of accomplishments, and Lukas still impacted the sport like no other. His generosity, compassion, kindness, and wisdom helped the sport reach its highest peaks.
Among those accomplishments, Lukas won 15 Triple Crown races and 20 Breeders’ Cup races, a record he shares with Aidan O’Brien. Lukas was among the first trainers to open large stables at different tracks across the country, training 26 Eclipse Award winners along the way. Lukas was also a major presence at the sales, revolutionizing the way the industry viewed sales and breeding.
Lukas captured his first Triple Crown race in 1980 when Codex scored a controversial win in the Preakness. Codex and jockey Angel Cordero floated the popular filly Genuine Risk at the top of the stretch, with some bumping between the two as well. Genuine Risk's jockey Jacinto Vasquez claimed foul, and even said Cordero hit Genuine Risk with his whip, but the stewards made no change. Codex was not nominated to the Kentucky Derby, as his owner, John Nerud, believed Triple Crown races could do harm to horses.
Eventually, Lukas would capture the Kentucky Derby in 1988 with Winning Colors, then again with Thunder Gulch in 1995, Grindstone a year later, Charismatic in 1999. During that 1995 Triple Crown season, Lukas won the Derby with Thunder Gulch, then won the Preakness with Timber Country, and then the Belmont with Thunder Gulch, sweeping the Triple Crown races. Lukas came closest to winning the Triple Crown with Charismatic, winning the Derby and the Preakness, but finishing third in the Belmont. Lukas would go on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic in 1999 with Cat Thief.
On June 22, it was announced that Lukas would step away from training after health issues. Assistant Bas Nicholl was named to take over his stable. Seize the Grey was the last Triple Crown winner that Lukas trained, winning last year’s Preakness.
🕊️
— Nik Juarez (@NikJuarez) June 29, 2025
This seat will be vacant,
But you will be in our hearts forever #DWL pic.twitter.com/zntSkZCfeH
Many people in the industry took to social media to share their anecdotes and stories of Lukas up on the news of his retirement, with more coming upon news of his passing.
— Bob Baffert (@BobBaffert) June 29, 2025
Known for his flashy suits, sunglasses, and charisma, Lukas was the sport’s first rockstar and arguably impacted the sport more than anyone else.
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An avid horse racing fan and bettor, Michael Smith has developed a career in horse racing media as an editor and writer. A regular at Saratoga Race Course, Michael mainly covers New York racing but follows various other racing across the country and world.