D. Wayne Lukas dies at 89: Hall of Fame horse trainer was part of 15 Triple Crown race victories

Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas has died at age 89, his family announced Sunday. Lukas had recently entered hospice care last week following a hospitalization. A severe MRSA blood infection caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system and worsened several preexisting health conditions, the family said.

“Today we lost one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most significant figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated, in a release. “We will miss his humor, his wisdom and his unmatched capacity to thrill the fans with the performances of his horses on our sport’s biggest days.”

Lukas was a towering figure in horse racing for more than four decades. A four-time Kentucky Derby winner, he won 15 Triple Crown races overall, including seven Preakness Stakes and four Belmont Stakes. In 2024, Lukas added to that total with Seize the Grey’s victory in the Preakness, giving him his first Triple Crown win in over a decade. In 2025, Lukas returned to Churchill Downs with American Promise, his 50th Derby starter — second all-time behind his protégé Todd Pletcher (65).

D. Wayne Lukas Triple Crown success

Enshrined in Horse Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1999, Lukas made Triple Crown history by winning six consecutive classics from 1994 to 1996, including the Derby, Preakness and Belmont with stars like Tabasco Cat, Thunder Gulch and Grindstone. He extended that run to seven wins in eight races when Editor’s Note took the 1996 Belmont. Lukas also claimed five Kentucky Oaks victories, most recently with Secret Oath in 2022.

He trained three Horses of the Year: Lady’s Secret (1986), Criminal Type (1990) and Charismatic (1999). His 20 Breeders’ Cup wins include six in the Juvenile Fillies, five in the Juvenile, and a memorable 1999 Classic with 19-1 longshot Cat Thief.