D. Wayne Lukas

The Week in Review by T.D. Thornton Secret Oath (Arrogate)'s big winning move despite trip trouble in Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn Park launched the 3-year-old filly to the forefront of conversation just at the precise time the sport needs a little diversion from anything having to do with lawsuits, trainer banishments, and the GI Kentucky Derby. There is no question that the D. Wayne Lukas trainee looms large atop the leaderboard for the GI Kentucky Oaks and that her 86-year-old conditioner isn't crazy for at least considering running...

Briland Farm homebred Secret Oath (Arrogate) laid down yet another marker on her march toward the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, streaking clear of her foes for a fluent 7 1/2-length romp in Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn Park. Prohibitively favored, with GII Golden Rod S. runner-up Yuugiri (Shackleford) the only other one the bettors wanted, Secret Oath had to be re-balanced after breaking a bit inward at the start and was a joint-last into the clubhouse turn as Optionality (Gun Runner) and Yuugiri matched motors up front. A fraction...

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the first four runnings of the GIII Honeybee S. starting way back in 1988, and after picking up another trophy in 2007, sits tied with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen at a record five wins in Oaklawn's penultimate GI Kentucky Oaks prep. Lukas looks well positioned to break that tie with Asmussen as he sends out expected heavy favorite Secret Oath (Arrogate) in Saturday's renewal. Briland Farm homebred Secret Oath was a second-out romper around two turns at Churchill on Halloween before finishing a...

Wayne Lukas has won the GI Kentucky Oaks four times, but should there be a fifth this year it would no doubt be among the most special accomplishments of this Hall of Famer's career. He's no longer able to attack the race with an arsenal of well-bred, expensive and talented horses sent his way by some of the sport's biggest owners. Those days are long gone. Instead, the 86-year-old trainer will have to overcome the odds and an inherent bias in the sport against older trainers and try to win...

Secret Oath stamped herself as a major player on the GI Kentucky Oaks trail with her second straight eye-catching victory at Oaklawn Park. Breaking her maiden Oct. 31 by over five lengths beneath the Twin Spires in her second career start, Secret Oath came up empty finishing a well-beaten fifth in the GII Golden Rod S. next out Nov. 27. After dominating her allowance rivals with a visually impressive score with first-time Lasix last out Dec. 31 at Oaklawn Park, she returned just as brilliantly here. Coming off Lasix for...

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will deliver the keynote address at the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA)'s annual convention in March. The conference will be held Mar. 1-5 at Oaklawn Park's new hotel overlooking the first turn. "When we seek out our keynote speaker, we look for inspiration and passion," said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA. "Not only do we get that in spades with D. Wayne Lukas, but his overall legacy is unmatched in horse racing. Yet it's not only that Wayne has...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--To punctuate his acceptance speech that concluded the Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday, trainer Todd Pletcher used a favorite line of the late Cot Campbell, the Thoroughbred owner and colorful racing personality who was one of his longtime patrons. "It's not going to sound nearly as cool coming from me, he was a cool guy," Pletcher said, "but most of all, I want to thank the horses, the horses and the horses." Campbell's words were a fitting coda for racing's annual feel-good day that salutes the best...

Ellis Park will host "a conversation" between Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Eclipse Award-winning trainer Dale Romans Saturday, Aug. 14. Called "D. Wayne and Dale: A Conversation," the event will see the two charismatic personalities interview each other, tell stories, and take questions from the public. Third generation Henderson horseman John Hancock will introduce the pair. "We wanted something special for the public as a prelude to Ellis Park Derby Day," said Jeff Inman, Ellis Park's general manager. "Wayne is on the short list for the all-time...

For at least a decade, there were no "if" or "when" questions about Todd Pletcher and the Hall of Fame. If? By the time he won the GI Kentucky Derby for the first time with Super Saver in 2010, Pletcher, then a month away from his 43rd birthday, already had nine champions, four Eclipse Awards as outstanding trainer, four national money-earned titles, had topped the Saratoga trainers table six times and had earned the Gulfstream Park training title for the seventh consecutive year. Super Saver's Derby triumph was his 72nd...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED FILLIES DEBUT AT ELLIS 3rd-ELP, $51K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 2:46p.m. Brad Cox saddles a well-related firster in Godolphin homebred ALREADY CHARMING (More Than Ready). Her dam Alluring Miss (Shamardal) is a half-sister to MGISW and top sire, the late Scat Daddy (Johannesburg); GSW & GISP Antipathy (A.P. Indy); and stakes winners Grand Daddy (Johannesburg) and Lovestruck (Tapit). Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas also unveils a nicely bred juvenile filly in Surprising (American Pharoah). Out of SW & GSP Harriett Lane (Giant's...

The relationship between trainer and assistant can often be tumultuous and fleeting, while in other instances, it can prove life-altering and enduring. And every once in a while, the spark ignites, paving the road to great glory and even the Hall of Fame. When it was announced that trainer Todd Pletcher would be inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame this summer, most could not have been surprised that the 53-year-old would have been granted the honor in his very first year of eligibility. In truth, there...

Bob Baffert has been placed the squarely in the cross hairs over Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s Betamethasone positive following last week's GI Kentucky Derby and amid the chorus of criticism, admonishment and outright verbal assault, a fellow Hall of Famer took up the mantle of defense for his beleaguered colleague. "Unfortunately, it is the story of this Preakness," said D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the second jewel of the Triple Crown six times. "Racing doesn't deserve to get the black eye for something this minor. Now, if there is an...