Looking at legendary horse racing trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ career by the numbers
D. Wayne Lukas, a Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse racing trainer whose career exceeded six decades, died Saturday night at the age of 89 after battling several health problems in recent weeks.
Exploring the history of a man who was one of the faces of the sport for so long led to a statistical treasure trove. Here, by the numbers, is just some of what D. Wayne Lukas accomplished in racing.
2
The number of times Lukas won the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. The trainer captured the Kentucky Derby prep with War in 1987 and with High Yield in 2000.
3
The number of times Lukas-trained horses were voted Horse of the Year (Lady’s Secret in 1986, Criminal Type in 1990, Charismatic in 1999).
4
The number of Eclipse Awards Lukas won as Outstanding Trainer (1985, 1986, 1987, 1994).
4
The number of years in which Lukas led North American trainers in wins.
14
The number of years in which Lukas led North American trainers in earnings.
15
The number of Triple Crown wins Lukas secured (Four Kentucky Derbys, seven Preaknesses, four Belmonts).
16
The number of training titles Lukas won at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, the most by any trainer.
20
The number of Breeders’ Cup wins Lukas secured (Six Juvenile Fillies, five Juveniles, four Distaffs, two Sprints, one Classic, one Juvenile Sprint, one Mile).
26
The number of Lukas-trained horses who won Eclipse Awards.
42.8
The percentage of Lukas-trained thoroughbreds who finished in the money during his career (4,953 wins, 4,254 second-place finishes, 3,809 thirds from 30,437 career starts). Lukas finished ninth all-time in career wins.
44-95
According to America’s Best Racing, Lukas’ record as boys basketball coach at Logan High School in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, before turning full-time to training horses.
88
Age at which Lukas won his final Triple Crown race, the 2024 Preakness Stakes with Seize the Gray. That made him the oldest trainer to win a Triple Crown event.
222
Career Grade 1 victories.
343
The most wins Lukas posted in one year, which took place in 1987. Lukas also surpassed 300 wins in 1988 (318) and 1989 (305).
637
Career graded stakes victories.
1999
The year Lukas was inducted into the thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame.
$17,842,358
The most Lukas earned in one year, which took place in 1988 — the year he won his first Kentucky Derby with Winning Colors.
$300,535,656
Career earnings in thoroughbred racing, which ranks sixth all-time. His horses banked an additional $791,143 in quarter-horse racing.
Lukas’ Triple Crown race winners
Kentucky Derby
1988: Winning Colors
1995: Thunder Gulch
1996: Grindstone
1999: Charismatic
Preakness Stakes
1980: Codex
1985: Tank’s Prospect
1994: Tabasco Cat
1995: Timber Country
1999: Charismatic
2013: Oxbow
2024: Seize the Grey
Belmont Stakes
1994: Tabasco Cat
1995: Thunder Gulch
1996: Editor’s Note
2000: Commendable
Breeders’ Cup wins
Juvenile Fillies
1985: Twilight Ridge
1988: Open Mind
1994: Flanders
1999: Cash Run
2005: Folklore
2014: Take Charge Brandi
Juvenile
1986: Capote
1987: Success Express
1988: Is It True
1994: Timber Country
1996: Boston Harbor
Distaff
1985: Life’s Magic
1986: Lady’s Secret
1987: Sachahuista
2000: Spain
Sprint
1988: Gulch
2002: Orientate
Classic
1999: Cat Thief
Juvenile Sprint
2012: Hightail
Mile
1989: Steinlen