His name is as synonymous with thoroughbred horse racing as Longden, Shoemaker, Seabiscuit and Secretariat. He is a champion in the truest sense. One look at the statistics bears this out.

Four-time Eclipse Award winner as Trainer of the Year. Nation’s leading money-earning trainer from 1983-92, 1994, 1995 and, in ’96, led the nation with nearly $16 million. Captured six consecutive Triple Crown events, seven of the last ten and ten classics in all. Won 13 Breeders’ Cup races.

Not bad for a former basketball coach.

D. Wayne began his training career at the tender age of 13, where he raced his pony at the Antigo County Fairgrounds. At the urging of his mother, though, he attended the University of Wisconsin and earned a Masters degree in Education. He then became the assistant basketball coach at the university.

From there, he took a job as the head basketball coach at La Crosse Logan High School and began racing horses during the summers at Park Jefferson racetrack in South Dakota. Even then, he achieved success, winning the trainer’s title each year he competed.

D. Wayne migrated to California and quickly established himself as the top trainer in quarterhorse racing. For six years, his horses dominated every division, with average earnings of $1 million each year. He trained 21 world champion quarterhorses in all, including Dash For Cash, a two-time Horse of the Year.

It was 1978 when D. Wayne Lukas took dead aim on the thoroughbred racing industry and, not long after, records began to fall.

He shattered the great Charlie Whittingham’s earning’s record in 1984 ($5.8 million), then nearly doubled it in 1985 ($11.1 million). In 1987, he became the first trainer to lead in both money ($17.5 million) and wins (343), and repeated the feat in 1990. Also in ’90, D. Wayne became the first trainer to surpass the $100 million mark in career earnings and now has topped the $150 million plateau. He has trained 21 champions, including Horse of the Year, Lady’s Secret (1986) and Criminal Type (1990).

His son, Jeff, serves as his assistant trainer. They both reside in Arcadia, California.