(Hall of Fame Trainers Nick Zito, D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert / Photo by Anne Eberhardt & Courtesy of “The Blood-Horse”

From Dan Liebman / Guest Columnist:

During my time at “The Blood-Horse,” as Editor-in-Chief, Executive Editor and Managing Editor — when the magazine was a weekly — I guess I had input into 600 to 700 cover images.

There was never a doubt as to my favorite.

Between 1988 and 1997, trainers D. Wayne Lukas, Bob Baffert and Nick Zito won the Kentucky Derby six times.

Lukas was the trainer of Winning Colors (1988), Thunder Gulch (1995), and Grindstone (1996); Zito won with Strike the Gold (1991) and Go For Gin (1994); and Baffert saddled Silver Charm (1997).

So, in 1988, two weeks before the Derby, I approached the Lukas barn at Churchill Downs along with Suzanne Dorman, then the Blood-Horse Art Director. Our thought was a photo of the three trainers with the Twin Spires behind them.

We knew everything hinged on Lukas. He was “the Coach.” He was the “dean” of the backside. He was the first “super trainer,” with divisions of his stable in different states.

Luckily for us, he was also a promotor of the sport; he liked our idea and agreed  to participate. That made it easy to approach the other two. If Wayne said yes, how could Bob and Nick say no.

They couldn’t, and they didn’t.

Blood-Horse Chief Photographer Anne Eberhardt did her usual marvelous job, making the subjects feel at ease while framing a masterpiece.

Baffert even has us all laughing when he threw bunny ears up behind Lukas during one shot.

Perhaps the most gratifying part was the result of that year’s Derby: Baffert was first and third with Real Quiet and Indian Charlie; Zito was fourth with Halory Hunter; and Lukas saddled fifth-place finisher Cape Town.

Of course Lukas won the Derby the next year with Charismatic and Baffert has since won the Derby four more times — with War Emblem in 2002, American Pharoah in 2015, Justify in 2018, and Authentic in 2020.

At the time that photo was taken, Lukas (1999) and Zito (2005) were already members of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Baffert would be inducted in 2009.

I had many interactions with all three trainers over the years … but never as much fun — or satisfaction — as that day prior to the 1998 Kentucky Derby.

While Suzanne posed them, and Anne photographed them, I got them to relax, to share some stories, to collectively enjoy representing all those who aspire to win the wold’s most famous race.

For that hour, Wayne wasn’t the coach, he was just one of the guys.

And he was quite a guy.