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.