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The Hall of Famer's death occurred in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, June 28, according to his family. In his final days, he had been in hospice care following a battle with a severe MRSA infection.
Born on a Wisconsin farm in 1935, Lukas began his career training quarter horses before switching to thoroughbreds in the late 1970s.
Over nearly five decades, his horses won a record 20 Breeders' Cup races and 14 Triple Crown contests, including four Kentucky Derbies and seven Preakness Stakes.
He was the first trainer to earn more than $100 million in purse money and was named top money winner 14 times. In 1995, he swept all three Triple Crown races with two different horses, a feat unmatched in modern racing.
Lukas was inducted into the US Racing Hall of Fame in 1999 and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2007. His final winner, Tour Player, crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs on June 12, 2025.
Married five times, Lukas is survived by his wife, Laurie Lynn Lukas, and an extended family that includes grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and fellow horsemen he mentored over decades. His only son, Jeff, died in 2016.
"Wayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry, developing generations of horsemen and horsewomen and growing the game by inviting unsuspecting fans into the winner’s circle," the Lukas family said in a statement. "His final days were spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family, and faith."
A private family service will be held, with a public celebration of life planned. Memorial donations can be made to causes Lukas supported, including Churchill and Oaklawn backside chaplaincies and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
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