Lukas to Owners: Hire Trainers With Integrity

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said March 2 that owners could provide a first line of defense for horse racing's integrity by ensuring the trainers they employ bring the highest standards to the game.

Lukas offered that insight Wednesday during a thoughtful and entertaining talk as the keynote speaker at the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association conference at the Oaklawn Park hotel in Hot Springs, Ark. 

"It could help clean up the sport a little bit; have the owners interview the trainers," Lukas said. "They should talk with the trainers and be comfortable that he or she is going to be honest; not put you in a bad spot. Pick a trainer you know is going to do an honest job and not get you in trouble."

In recent years one prominent trainer, Jorge Navarro, has been convicted of federal charges related to performance-enhancing drugs; and another, Jason Servis, faces federal charges of similar wrongdoing. Lukas said owners could weed out some problem trainers just by sitting down and talking with them.

And, knowing there may be times that corruption is coming from the ownership level, Lukas said owners should face sanctions beyond loss of purse if their horses fail drug tests. He said that would help clean up the sport.

"I think they should sanction the owners," Lukas said. "Maybe they can't run a horse in a grade 1 for a year or run at a certain track for a year. If you were going to shut them down, I think they would be very careful. ... I think the owners would have to feel like they're getting a trainer who is not going to get in trouble."

Lukas recalled training horses for W.T. Young's Overbrook Farm and the great responsibility he felt in that role.

"I can't believe I would ever put him in position where he would have to answer for something like (a failed drug test)," Lukas said. "I did everything I could not to get him in trouble."

Despite battling back issues the past few years and a bout with COVID-19, Lukas, 86, was as sharp as ever fresh off a victory with Secret Oath  in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies and a runner-up finish with Ethereal Road  in the Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds Feb. 26 at Oaklawn.

In introducing Lukas Wednesday, Nancy Holthus, an analyst for Oaklawn Park's simulcast, said she'd never been as emotional as she was interviewing Lukas after Secret Oath's win in the Honeybee. After hearing the kind words, Lukas quipped, "After hearing Nancy introduce me, I think I need to start charging a higher day rate."

Lukas spent much of his time encouraging horsemen to find ways to promote the sport, even if it's a single person at a time. Lukas said that for years he has been selecting young people at the track to join him in the winner's circle after victories at the track. "We let their parents know we'll return them," he said with a laugh.

Lukas said he receives letters from young people in college or law school who thank him for those winner's circle trips from years ago. The trainer noted that it's up to participants in the sport to build racing.

"I get a better feeling these days from taking a small child to the winner's circle—more enjoyment than winning," Lukas said. "You cannot believe the response and how excited those kids get. They're just shaking when they stand in front of me. I've gotten letter after letter after letter from those kids.

"If I win the Kentucky Derby this year—you can look it up—there will be a small kid I've never met before standing right next to me. The horses come and go. Those feelings stay forever. Each one of us needs to try to make a difference."