Lukas in hospital, won't return to training horses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Hall of Fame equine racing trainer D. Wayne Lukas has been hospitalized and volition not instrumentality to training, Churchill Downs announced Sunday aft speaking with members of his family.

Lukas' household said the 89-year-old has battled a terrible corruption that has worsened and that helium has declined an assertive attraction program to alternatively instrumentality home. His horses person been transferred to adjunct trainer Sebastian "Bas" Nicholl.

"Wayne built a bequest that volition ne'er beryllium matched," Nicholl said. "Every determination I make, each equine I saddle, I'll perceive his dependable successful the backmost of my mind. This isn't astir filling his shoes - nary 1 can. It's astir honoring everything that he's built."

Lukas is 1 of the astir accomplished radical successful the past of the sport. His 15 Triple Crown victories are 2nd lone to bully person Bob Baffert, and Lukas has a record-tying 20 successful the Breeders Cup.

He won the Kentucky Derby 4 times since 1988. His astir caller triumph successful the Triple Crown came past twelvemonth with Seize the Grey successful the Preakness, his seventh -- 1 abbreviated of Baffert's record.

"Wayne is 1 of the top competitors and astir important figures successful Thoroughbred racing history," Churchill Downs president Mike Anderson said. "He transcended the athletics of equine racing and took the manufacture to caller levels. The lasting interaction of his quality and wisdom, from his acute horsemanship to his unmatched attraction to detail, volition beryllium genuinely missed. The enormity of this quality is immense, and our prayers are with his household and friends astir the satellite during this hard time."