LEGENDARY horse trainer D Wayne Lukas has been rushed to hospital with a ‘worsening’ serious illness.
The iconic US handler, praised for revolutionising racing in the States, has urgently transferred all his horses to his British assistant.
AP:Associated PressIconic trainer D Wayne Lukas has been rushed to hospital with a ‘worsening’ serious illness and his horses removed from his care[/caption]
APThe record-breaking handler was still riding horses out just last month[/caption]
ReutersThe famed handler was a snazzy dresser and not afraid to spend a lot of his client’s money at the sales[/caption]
ReutersCat Thief, seen here winning the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Classic, was one of the iconic trainer’s best horses[/caption]
Lukas, 89, trained some of the biggest names in the sport including previous Horses of the Year Charismatic and Criminal Type.
He won the Kentucky Derby four times and dominated the Triple Crown races, winning six in a row in the mid-Nineties.
He shares the record alongside Aidan O’Brien for most Breeders’ Cup wins with 20.
And his incredible career has seen him amass prize money earnings of £225million from a jaw-dropping 4,967 winners.
Lukas, whose first given name is Darrell, is too ill to train again and his final winner came at Churchill Downs, home of the Derby, earlier this month.
Lukas was pictured riding out at Belmont racetrack just last month and his rapid decline from a ‘severe infection’ has shocked the sport.
The horses in his yard will now be trained by his British assistant and former Army veteran Sebastian ‘Bas’ Nicholl.
Nicholl, who was a tank commander in the first Gulf War, said: “Wayne built a legacy that will never be matched.
“Every decision I make, every horse I saddle, I’ll hear his voice in the back of my mind.
“This isn’t about filling his shoes – no one can – it’s about honoring everything that he’s built.”
Lukas is said to have refused an aggressive treatment plan for an infection at hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.
He will return home to be with his family in the coming days.
Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs racetrack, said: “Wayne is one of the greatest competitors and most important figures in thoroughbred racing history.
“He transcended the sport of horse racing and took the industry to new levels.
“The lasting impact of his character and wisdom – from his acute horsemanship to his unmatched attention to detail – will be truly missed.
“The enormity of this news is immense, and our prayers are with his family and friends around the world during this difficult time.”
While Lukas rewrote the record books on the track he suffered devastation off it when son Jeff died in 2016.
He suffered horrendous injuries when trying to stop a loose colt at Santa Anita in December 1993.
The horse smashed into him, shattered his skull and left him in a coma for several weeks, resulting in permanent brain damage.
Although he showed enough signs of recovery to work again, it was short lived.
Jeff, who was his dad’s best mate and favourite assistant trainer over the years, passed away aged 58 in March 2016.
A sharp dresser with an eye for style and film star looks, Lukas was also known for spending big at the sales.
He could get in the ear of any rich owner looking to make a splash in the sport.
And a quote that echoed over the years describing Lukas’ spending habits was: “It’s said that no horse owner can give Lukas a credit card that the trainer can’t max out!”
During the latter part of his career, Lukas would invite a randomly chosen child from the grandstand to join him in the winner’s circle after a victory for the winning photo.
The Lukas family wrote in a letter to clients: “Wayne is proud of his many former assistants who have achieved greatness, and he is confident that Bas will follow in their footsteps, carrying his unwavering support and endorsement.”
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