D. Wayne Lukas
Trainer Bios

D. Wayne Lukas

Born: September 2, 1935 in Antigo, Wis.

Record at Keeneland

Total Wins: 294

Stakes Wins: 51

Career Firsts

First Grade 1 Win: 1980 Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita with Codex

First Stakes Win: 1974 Foothill (2nd div.) at Pomona with Harbor Hauler

First Graded Stakes Win: 1978 American (G2) at Hollywood Park with Effervescing

First Career Win: (Thoroughbreds) Sept. 2, 1974, at Del Mar with Harbor Hauler

Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass

Year

Horse

Finish
2018 Sporting Chance 3rd
2016 Goats Town 6th

2013

Channel Isle

8th

2008

Stone Bird

12th

2005

Consolidator

5th

2003

Ten Cents a Shine

8th

2000

High Yield

Won

1999

Cat Thief

2nd

1998

Cape Town

3rd

1997

Wrightswood

6th

1996

Editor’s Note

3rd

1995

Thunder Gulch

4th

1994

Chimes Band

5th

1992

Dance Floor

4th

1990

Land Rush

2nd

1988

Cougarized

4th

1987

War

Won

1986

Big Play

9th

1983

Marfa

4th

At Keeneland

Keeneland’s all-time leading trainer by wins (294) and titles as leading trainer (16). Has 51 stakes wins, second only to former assistant Todd Pletcher (52).

Sent out Warrior's Club to win the 2018 Commonwealth (G3) during the Spring Meet.

First Keeneland win came during the 1980 Fall Meet.

First Keeneland stakes win was the 1982 Ashland (G2) with Blush With Pride.

Two-time winner of the Grade 1 Blue Grass (War in 1987 and High Yield in 2000) and Grade 1 Spinster (Sacahuista in 1987 and Azeri in 2004); six-time winner of the Alcibiades and Breeders’ Futurity.

Career

Received the 2013 Eclipse Award of Merit.

Inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1999 and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the only person to be a member of both institutions.

Four-time Eclipse Award winner as outstanding trainer (1985-1987 and 1994).

North America’s leading trainer by earnings for 14 years (1983-1992, 1994-1997).

North American career earnings exceed $279 million with 4,808 wins through Dec. 2, 2018. Earnings are third behind former assistant Todd Pletcher and Racing Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Lukas' win total is eighth among all North American trainers.

Record 26 champions: Althea, Azeri, Boston Harbor, Capote, 1999 Horse of the Year Charismatic, 1990 Horse of the Year Criminal Type, Family Style, Flanders, Folklore, Golden Attraction, Gulch, 1986 Horse of the Year Lady’s Secret, Landaluce, Life’s Magic, North Sider, Open Mind, Orientate, Sacahuista, Serena’s Song, Steinlen (GB), Surfside, Take Charge Brandi, Thunder Gulch, Timber Country, Will Take Charge and Winning Colors.

Record 14 Triple Crown wins: Kentucky Derby (G1) – 1988, Winning Colors; 1995, Thunder Gulch; 1996, Grindstone; and 1999, Charismatic. Preakness (G1) – 1980, Codex; 1985, Tank’s Prospect; 1994, Tabasco Cat; 1995, Timber Country; 1999, Charismatic; 2013, Oxbow; Belmont (G1) – 1994, Tabasco Cat; 1995, Thunder Gulch; 1996, Editor’s Note; and 2000, Commendable.

Record 20 Breeders’ Cup wins: Juvenile winners (Capote, 1986; Success Express, 1987; Is It True, 1988; Timber Country, 1994; Boston Harbor, 1996); Juvenile Fillies (Twilight Ridge, 1985; Open Mind, 1988; Flanders, 1994; Cash Run, 1999; Folklore, 2005; Take Charge Brandi, 2014); Juvenile Sprint (Hightail, 2012); Sprint (Gulch, 1988; Orientate, 2002); Ladies’ Classic (Life’s Magic, 1985; Lady’s Secret, 1986; Sacahuista, 1987; Spain, 2000); Mile (Steinlen [GB], 1989); Classic (Cat Thief, 1999).

Click here for his Equibase record.

Background

Wayne grew up on a 10-acre farm in Wisconsin and gained exposure to horse racing at the Antigo County Fairgrounds, where he raced his pony. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a master’s degree in education, he coached high school basketball and served as an assistant coach at his alma mater. During the summers, he began racing horses at Park Jefferson in South Dakota.

After moving to California in 1972, he made a name for himself as a trainer of Quarter Horses, conditioning 23 world champions and dominating the sport as he later would Thoroughbred racing.

In 2015, Wayne was at Keeneland to watch his champion Take Charge Brandi sell for $6 million at Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale. The amount made Take Charge Brandi the most expensive horse sold at public auction anywhere in the world during the year.