First Kentucky Derby in 45 years without D. Wayne Lukas

The empty space at Churchill Downs is hard to miss. For the first time in 45 years, the Kentucky Derby will run without D. Wayne Lukas in the mix, leaving Barn 44 and the backstretch without the trainer who helped define the modern Derby.

Lukas died in June 2025 at age 89, and the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2, will be the first since 1981 without his involvement. That is the kind of absence that changes the feel of Derby week before the gates even open. Lukas was not just a familiar name on the program. He was a fixture at Churchill Downs since 1989, stabled there for decades, and his presence became part of the annual rhythm of the meet, from morning walks on the backstretch to the pressure of the first Saturday in May.

His record explains why the loss lands so heavily. Lukas won the Kentucky Derby four times, with Winning Colors, Thunder Gulch, Grindstone and Charismatic. He also won the Kentucky Oaks four times, the Preakness Stakes seven times and the Belmont Stakes four times, placing him among the most decorated trainers in Triple Crown history. For a generation of horsemen and horsewomen, he was not only a champion but a model for how to build and sustain a stable at the sport’s highest level.

Churchill Downs said after his death that Lukas devoted his life to horses and to the industry, helping develop generations of horsemen and horsewomen while bringing new fans into the winner’s circle. That influence is still visible across Derby week, where old stories get retold in the barn area and Lukas’ name remains a touchstone for owners, trainers and riders who came up around him or against him. Bill Carstanjen, the Churchill Downs chief executive, said the sport lost one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most significant figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years, praising Lukas’ humor, wisdom and ability to thrill fans on racing’s biggest days.

Churchill Downs has already built that legacy into the calendar with the Lukas Classic, a stakes race named in his honor. Laurie Lukas will present the trophy for that race, a reminder that his influence is not confined to memory. It still shapes the way Churchill Downs presents its biggest week, and it will be felt again when the Derby field turns for home without The Coach watching from the apron or the backstretch he called home.