Thank You Forever, "Coach" D. Wayne Lukas

We are in mourning. We received word that D. Wayne Lukas ("Coach") passed last night, Saturday, June 28, 2025 after a brief illness after announcing his sudden retirement a few days ago on June 22nd. He was 89 years old. An absolute legend, icon and inspiration to the industry, we will miss his words of wisdom and seeing him out on the track on his trusty paint, Bucky. 

The Coach was currently training two horses for our groups -- Caldera (Liam's Map) and Munny Problem (Not This Time) -- with a third, Trust But Verify (Into Mischief), to head his way shortly. He also trained Seize The Grey, now retired to stud in Kentucky after winning the Preakness, Pennsylvania Derby (both G1) and Pat Day Mile (G2, on the 2024 Kentucky Derby undercard). 

We'll try to capture just some of the achievements he left behind, but his most intangible victories were the impact he had on our sport and the respect he garnered from so many from throughout the racing community. We'll post links to some of that press below. This post will be edited as more are added in the coming days.

Daily Racing Form:  Racing Legend D. Wayne Lukas Dead at 89 

Paulick Report:  Legendary Trainer D. Wayne Lukas Passes Away

Bloodhorse:  Industry-Shaping Horseman Lukas Dies at Age 89

APNews: Hall of Fame Horse Trainer D. Wayne Lukas

APNews: D. Wayne Lukas Revolutionized Horse Racing

APNews: Horse Racing Pays Tribute to Hall of Fame Trainer

Thank you coach for training some of the greatest horses racing has ever seen. 

• Azeri
• Blush With Pride 
• Boston Harbor (*BC)
• Capote (*BC)
• Cara Rafaela
• Cash Run (*BC)
• Cat Thief (*BC)
• Charismatic
• Codex 
• Commendable
• Dynaformer
• Editor's Note
• Flanders (*BC)
• Folklore (*BC)
• Grindstone (Kentucky Derby winner, grandsire of Mine That Bird)
• Gulch (*BC)
• Hightail (*BC)
• Is It True (*BC)
• Lady's Secret (*BC, Champion, Horse of the Year, Secretariat daughter) 
• Life's Magic (*BC)
• Mine That Bird (after his Kentucky Derby win)
• Open Mind (*BC)
• Orientate (*BC)
• Oxbow (Preakness winner 2014)
• Sacahuista (*BC)
• SEIZE THE GREY (Preakness, Penn Derby, Pat Day Mile - one of ours)
• Serena's Song
• Spain (*BC)
• Steinlen (*BC)
• Success Express (*BC)
• Tabasco Cat
• Take Charge Brandi (*BC)
• Tanks Prospect
• Thunder Gulch
• Timber Country (*BC)
• Twilight Ridge (*BC)
• Winning Colors (filly who won the Kentucky Derby)

*Breeders’ Cup Winners Trained by D. Wayne Lukas (Alphabetical Order): Boston Harbor (Juvenile, 1996), Capote (Juvenile, 1986), Cash Run (Juvenile Fillies, 1999), Cat Thief (Classic, 1999), Flanders (Juvenile Fillies, 1994), Folklore (Juvenile Fillies, 2005), Gulch (Sprint, 1988), Hightail (Juvenile Sprint, 2012), Is It True (Juvenile, 1988), Lady's Secret (Distaff, 1986), Life's Magic (Distaff, 1985), Open Mind (Juvenile Fillies, 1988), Orientate (Sprint, 2002), Sacahuista (Distaff, 1987), Spain (Distaff, 2000), Steinlen (GB) (Mile, 1989), Success Express (Juvenile, 1987), Take Charge Brandi (Juvenile Fillies, 2014), Timber Country (Juvenile, 1994), Twilight Ridge (Juvenile Fillies, 1985).

For a few, their legacy lived on with:

• Boston Harbor sired Healthy Addiction
• Cara Rafaela foaling Bernardini (sire) 
• Dynaformer sired the legendary Barbaro (Kentucky Derby) 
• Is It True sired Yes It's True (who sired our race mare Endless Thyme)
• SEIZE THE GREY (top earning son of Arrogate, now standing 1st year at stud)

But perhaps the biggest impact, by far, was the influence Coach had on those who learned from him. Todd Pletcher, who went on to be and still remains one of the elite top trainers, but also successful trainers Kiaran McLaughlin, Dallas Stewart, Randy Bradshaw, Mark Hennig, Mike Maker, and George Weaver. 

Sadly, one of his greatest pupils was his son, Jeff, toted by many as a sharp and effective trainer in his own right. Jeff suffered severe brain injury when one of the Coach's top horses, Tabasco Cat, broke away and ran Jeff over causing Jeff's head to impact the ground. Though Jeff did try to return to training after his recovery later, the work proved too much for him. He passed in 2016 at age 58.

In 1987, Lukas won 92 stakes races at tracks throughout the country, a record that would stand for nearly 20 years before Pletcher (appropriately enough!) broke that record in 2006.

Many other trainers were his competitors, but also long-time peers who carried a deep respect for and friendship with him, including Bob Baffert, Kenny McPeek, and Steve Asmussen. 

But there were also the legions of youth who he took to the winners circles over the years so they could experience the thrill of getting their photo taken with the winner, or the kids he'd hand signed cards from the back of his pony horse, or just stopped to chat with as they stood at the rail watching in awe. 

He is the only trainer to have been named to BOTH the Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred Hall of Fame.  

But for us, what a huge honor it was to be involved with his last horse to win a Triple Crown race in 2024, with our own SEIZE THE GREY winning the Preakness wire-to-wire. "Ceasar" won a second grade 1 race in the Pennsylvania Derby four months later, and also competed in the 2024 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile, his last BC contender. But that was followed with the thrill this year, 2025, of seeing Caldera headed down the Derby Trail road. Though sadly he didn't make the field of any of the races, he had the great pleasure of watching him place 2nd in a head-bob decision in the Sunland Park Derby (Kentucky Derby prep race) right here in our own state. We now own (and cherish) the saddlecloth from that race. 

 

Tiffany's Mo is Not in Foal to Seize The Grey

 After a last attempt, Tiffany's Mo was found not to be in foal to Seize The Grey. 

Plans are currently to breed her back in early 2026, since it is now so late in the breeding year. 

This was a disappointment, since she foaled a beautiful Liam's Map colt earlier this year, who is quite a standout as a prospect. 

Caldera Now at Ellis Park

Caldera is reportedly now at Ellis Park after his brief respite and growing phase. 

The Ohio Derby (Thistledowns) is reportedly an option, but not certain as of this date.

Fireball Birdie Update

The MRH team was in touch with Becky Maker to check in on Fireball Birdie this morning. She reports that his R&R has taken a bit longer than expected, but our now gelded son of Uncle Mo is on the upswing and is just about ready to return to training. 

He will continue to spend some time on the farm, where he will regain some fitness prior to returning to trainer Steve Asmussen. Becky and Steve have a long working relationship and she handles many of his layups, so she is familiar with how Steve expects horses to return to him in regard to fitness and condition. 

We will continue to pass along any updates as they come to us.

NEW ADDITION: Trust But Verify by Into Mischief

We are excited to join the ownership group of a promising colt, Trust But Verify! This speedy and balanced son of the reigning six-time champion general sire Into Mischief enjoyed some post-sale downtime at Highlander Training Center in Texas, and returned to training at the beginning of last week. He'll be legged up at the farm for a bit longer to build his fitness before eventually joining the barn of our Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Our G1 Preakness S. and G1 Pennsylvania Derby winner of last year, Seize The Grey, also spent time at Highlander before re-joining the Lukas barn for his big 2024 campaign, so it’s a plan that we certainly know works!

Of course, Into Mischief’s lengthy list of accomplishments got even longer since we picked up this colt when his son Sovereignty scored an emphatic victory in the G1 Kentucky Derby. Into Mischief is now tied for most Derby wins as a sire with three, and Sovereignty is set to take on a talented field in next week’s G1 Belmont S. at Saratoga. 

We'll be setting up a page for Trust But Verify shortly to join the other pages at the top of this site, but for now any updates will be available by clicking on his name on the right side bar. 

Catalyst Update

Catalyst was galloping this morning at Lone Star Park. We remain in a holding pattern with her as we await either an extra or the next condition book.

Good Cop Update from Eclipse

Good Cop has been jogging for several weeks and is now ready to begin galloping.  He will log the miles at Fair Hill building back up his foundation to begin a breezing program.

A video of Good Cop this past week at Fair Hill was included, where the 3YO son of Tiz The Law was looking healthy and quite fit. He appeared well-mannered, which has been a concern because he had been acting quite studdish. His improved attitude may have been the result of gelding him earlier in the year.