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D. Wayne Lukas Dies at 89 as Stable Passes to Protégé

Longtime assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl has taken charge of his horses under the formal succession plan

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas arrives for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby 2025 draw on opening night of Churchill Downs. Saturday, April 26, 2025
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas talks about his Kentucky Derby hopeful Will Take Charge after his early morning workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, April 29, 2013.   REUTERS/John Sommers II/File Photo
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Overview

  • D. Wayne Lukas died at his Louisville home on June 28 after declining aggressive treatment for a severe MRSA infection and entering hospice care.
  • Under his succession plan, the operation’s horses were formally handed over to longtime assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl at Churchill Downs.
  • Lukas’s transformative six-decade career yielded 4,967 thoroughbred victories, including 15 Triple Crown wins and 20 Breeders’ Cup triumphs.
  • Tributes have poured in from racing leaders such as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and fellow trainers like Bob Baffert.
  • Known for pioneering coast-to-coast shipping and corporate-style stable management, Lukas mentored generations of horsemen and reshaped American racing.