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(Coady Media photo of D. Wayne Lukas)
Statement from the Kentucky HBPA on D. Wayne Lukas’ hospitalization and the news that his stable has neen transferred over to long-time assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl:
There will never be another D. Wayne Lukas. Not even close. He single-handedly changed horse racing by combining a marketing approach with horsemanship. The Lukas “coaching tree” is just one component of a legacy that will endure as long as there is horse racing. Even as he approaches his 90th birthday, we long viewed The Coach as indestructible, including getting on his pony for morning training, winning the Preakness Stakes at age 88 and — every year — looking forward to seeing his new crop of 2-year-olds race. We will be keeping wife Laurie, grandson Brady and granddaughter Kelly in our hearts during this difficult time and hope they take comfort in knowing how many lives D. Wayne touched. That includes the owners he put on a magical ride but also the little kids he invited into the winner’s circle when he won a race. Wayne showed us not only how to be a horseman as well as a showman but also an ambassador for the sport and industry he and we all love so much. When it comes to D. Wayne Lukas, the best two words we can say are “thank you.” — The Kentucky HBPA
Churchill Downs’ news release |
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