History Might Hold the Answer to Lukas's Classic Dream

To most people, 88 is just a number. But to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, it already holds special meaning. It was the year he famously collected his first Kentucky Derby win, with a filly no less. The amazon Winning Colors became only the third filly in history to accomplish the feat. Armed with B C Stable's Just Steel (Justify) for the latest renewal, a win would also earn the 88-year-old Lukas the distinction of becoming the oldest trainer to win the Classic in its 150-year history.

Since that exalted first Derby win, however, a lot has transpired. Showing his dominance at the tail-end of the last century–and in the span of only 10 years–Lukas added three more Derbies with Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996) and Charismatic (1999). Well known for his golden touch with the fillies, Lukas also collected four renewals of the Kentucky Oaks late in the last century, headed by Blush With Pride in 1982 and followed by Lucky Lucky Lucky two years later, Open Mind in 1989 and Seaside Attraction in 1990. Following a three-decade gap, he proved that he was far from done when he took another renewal of the 2022 Oaks with Secret Oath, tying him with the legendary Woody Stephens for the most victories in the “Lillies for the Fillies”. This year, Lukas will try to earn a record-breaking sixth Oaks with Aaron Sones's Lemon Muffin (Collected).

Bullish on his chances in both sophomore Classics, Lukas will saddle a duo that can provide him with something that even he hasn't done, a win in the Oaks and Derby in the same year.

“We feel real comfortable with where they are both at,” affirmed Lukas. “They have done everything we have asked of them. With [Just Steel], we are coming into this off a strong effort. As for the filly, she seems to have bounced back from that last race pretty strong. So we are looking good right now.”

Anatomy of a Classic Double?

Just Steel broke his maiden third time out in a six-furlong Saratoga test last summer, but finished off the board in a pair of subsequent Grade I tries in the fall. Third in the wet going at Churchill Downs in October, he bounced back to take the 6 1/2-panel Ed Brown S. in Louisville the following month. Runner up in both the Smarty Jones S. and GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn early this winter, he was seventh in the GII Rebel S. but bounced back to be a much-improved second, beaten only two lengths, by the highly regarded Muth in the GI Arkansas Derby.

Just Steel at Churchill Downs | Renee Torbit – Coady

“He's a little bit different than the other Derby horses I've had,” explained Lukas. “He's a very professional horse. He does everything so easy. He doesn't cause any concern when you're saddling him, in the paddock or anything like that. I can't really say he is anything like the previous Derby winners we've had, but he really is a joy to train given the way he has behaved in any of the situations he's faced.”

He added, “It's great to have a horse like this for B C Stables–John Bellinger and Brian Coelho. They have really stepped up and made a big commitment with us. So I'd love to win it with them.”

Taking a beat to prove her mettle, Lemon Muffin, winless in four starts during her juvenile season, needed six starts to get off the mark, but finally broke through while routing for the first time and trying graded stakes company in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Honey Bee S. Feb. 24.

She seemingly took a step backward in her latest, a seventh in the Mar. 30 GII Fantasy S. However, Lukas admits she had an excuse.

“It turned out she was a little under the weather,” he said. “She showed it the next day–she spiked a temperature. She wasn't right and was flat. You can throw that one out. She's back now.”

And according to Lukas, the filly has been giving all the right signs in the mornings.

“She's a good work horse. She puts a lot into her gallops, a lot into her mornings. Her work [at Churchill, 5 furlongs, :58.20, Apr. 27, 1/58], that really tipped her hand. She's very strong right now.”

The Times They Are A-Changin'

When Lukas stepped onto the Kentucky Derby stage for the very first time in 1981 with a horse named Partez, he was a brash up-and-comer in the Thoroughbred game. Fast forward 40 years, Lukas returns with his 50th career starter as a seasoned veteran who has seen and done it all. And while he admits that the game has undergone an evolution in many ways, his training approach to the Classic is not really one of them.

Trainer D Wayne Lukas with his first Derby winner, Winning Colors | Horsephotos

“Honestly, I don't think there is a lot of difference in the way I prepare them,” he said.

And the reason for that, Lukas explains, is that despite all the transmutations in racing, one of the constants appears to be the way a Derby is won or lost.

“In a perfect world, I'd like to have my horse lay in the first six or seven, not too far off the early pace,” he said. “The race always seems to be won in the first turn here. You want your horse to have some tactical speed. I want them to be as trouble free as possible. When they turn up that back side, then an adjustment can be made. Every one of our horses that have won the Derby were in great position going up the back side. They were all relatively close and in perfect position to run when they were called on.”

In contrast, several other key factors have undergone great change in the blueprint of a Classic contender.

“I do think the breeders are emphasizing speed more in the horses they produce,” he explained. “By that I mean horses that look like they're quick. They are breeding more for speed, because speed sells. We probably don't have as many pure route horses as we used to. A horse that can run a mile and a quarter or beyond. A lot of breeders have gotten away from that.”

He continued, “Another big change we have seen over time is in the ownership of horses. In recent years, we have seen multiple ownership groups flourish. The sales are often dominated by a partnership of four or five groups, and probably any one of those can buy the horse individually, but they like to team up. It's changed the landscape both in the sale's ring and on the racetrack significantly.”

Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert catching up Preakness week | Jon Kral – MJC

And while Lukas is happy to be back at the Derby with a horse that he believes has a chance to make some noise, he addresses the pink elephant in the room, the absence of his good friend, Bob Baffert, who was banned from competing in the initial jewel in the Triple Crown for two years and later had that suspension extended through this season. Mighty adversaries on the track in earlier years, Lukas and Baffert are more apt to be seen kicking back and having a chat amidst all the hubbub leading up to the Classics.

“I speak to Bob a lot but we really don't try to solve anything. Unfortunately, Bob became the poster boy for what was happening. He was put front and center,” Lukas offers. “And he served his time, and it was later extended. I really thought that whole situation got out of hand. It got to rolling and it just mushroomed.”

He added, “My personal feeling is that I think [the establishment] wanted the 150th Derby to have a positive and strong approach and, if Bob had run this year, he would have been a lot of the story. [The press] would be all over him trying to find out how he felt. That would have become the main story, and I don't think management felt that should be the case for the 150th. But he really should be here.”