Hall of Fame Trainer Lukas Retires Due to Illness

Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 89, has been hospitalized in Louisville due to a severe infection and has decided to retire from training, spending his remaining time at home with family. Lukas declined aggressive medical treatment after his condition worsened. Over his six-decade career, he won nearly 5,000 races, earned $301 million, and secured major victories in four Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakness Stakes, four Belmont Stakes, and a record 20 Breeders’ Cup races. He is the only person enshrined in both the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse halls of fame and was recently awarded the inaugural Kentucky Derby Museum Lifetime Achievement Award. His stable will continue under longtime assistant Bas Nicholl during the transition. The Lukas family has requested privacy, and tributes from the racing community emphasize his transformative impact and legacy in the sport.