Four-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas, announced Feb. 23 as the first-ever winner of a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Kentucky Derby Museum, spoke with BloodHorse news editor Byron King about the honor and his support of the museum, where his memorabilia has been on display since 2017.

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One of the museum’s exhibits, “D. Wayne Lukas: The Modern Trainer,” chronicles the 88-year-old’s life and his Hall of Fame training career. A winner of 14 individual Triple Crown races, Lukas won his first Kentucky Derby in 1988 with the front-running filly Winning Colors, with whom Lukas credits his late son, Jeff, for working so closely. Lukas would capture the run for the roses three more times with Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996), and Charismatic (1999).

The award will be presented to Lukas at the Derby 150 Birthday Tribute Dinner on April 11.

The following interview has been edited for space and content.

BloodHorse: What’s your reaction to winning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kentucky Derby Museum?

Wayne Lukas: They called up out of the blue and told me. I was humbled, and I said, ‘Well, who has gotten it before?’ They said it’s the first year they’re gonna do it. And so that made it even more special, I guess.

I think the Derby Museum is so significant. I think of all the museums I’ve been to — and I’ve been to all the sports ones — I think the Derby Museum is by far the best. It documents so much of what we need to preserve. I’m really honored that I could be a part of it, let alone be honored by them.

It’s one of my special places, why I donated all of our memorabilia to them. I was overwhelmed by the fact that they would make a wing for it, and it was wonderful.

BH:  Give me your thoughts on your grandson, Air Force Major Brady Wayne Lukas, presenting your award?

LUKAS: That’s really special to me. I told my wife [Laurie] that it highlights the evening. He’s such an articulate, successful kid and he’s not a kid anymore; I was really excited that he accepted to do that.

BH: Do you recall the first time you visited the Kentucky Derby Museum?

Winning Colors also beat the boys in the Santa Anita Derby. (Four Footed Fotos)

LUKAS: I had gone in there when we had Winning Colors. I had gone in there three or four days before, just myself. I saw the (360-degree) video presentation — the movie — and I thought, ‘Gosh, this really captures it — really gives you an idea of what it’s all about.’

When I named Gary Stevens [to ride Winning Colors], and he showed up on Friday, I think it was. I said, ‘Gary, I want you to meet me at 9 o’clock tomorrow [Derby] morning. And I took him in the museum, and they gave us a private show. It was just Gary and I. I said, ‘Now watch this; this will give you an idea of what you’re about to get into.’ And we stood there together and he was really touched by it also. When the video was over, I said, ‘Now you got an idea what the day is gonna be like; get some rest and let’s get ready.’

BH: Did you go back and visit when they had updated the video presentation with her victory?

LUKAS: Oh yes, I went back. ... Gary and I dedicated the garland of roses to the museum. I had it framed and preserved. I gave it to Gary when I could no longer keep it, moving around and everything. ... Then we got together years later and Gary and I dedicated it to the museum on behalf of both of us.

BH: I can remember her win like it was yesterday, with her opening up and holding off Forty Niner, trained by Woody Stephens with Pat Day up. A great race, wasn’t it?

LUKAS: That was a great era of racing during those times. Personal Ensign [winner of the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff for trainer Shug McGaughey], her. I think racing was in a better place than it is now.

BH: When you reflect on your four Derby winners, does one stick out? Does Winning Colors since she was the first?

LUKAS: Well, when you win the first one, you get all puffed up. You think, well I won it. It’s [about me]. Then, after you get time to reflect on it a little bit and think back, you realize there were a lot of people went into this [achievement] — the support of your clients and everything. My approach after that for the next three, I was dedicated to taking and putting my clients in that spot, and to give them that experience.

Kentucky Derby trainer trophies won by D. Wayne Lukas, note the horseshoe placement change on the 1999 trophy. (Julie June Stewart photo)

And the one that probably meant the most is Grindstone. It was so close. [Owner] Bill Young and I were standing there together, and he was with his family. He said, ‘I’m not moving [toward the winner’s circle]; that’s too close.’ ... I waited for him on the turf course. When he came down, we embraced and we exchanged some very special thoughts. He was emotional and I was, too. And we got our composure and went down to the viewing stand to celebrate it. But that moment when we met on the turf course and the two of us embraced, I realized then that putting those people that support you in that spot meant so much.

BH: Let’s talk about another of your Derby winners: Charismatic. Some trainers may not have run back in the Derby after winning the Lexington Stakes just a couple of weeks before, but you did. What are your recollections of him?

LUKAS: I worked with that darn horse as a 2-year-old and I could not get him to get out of a high lope (laughing). I thought, how could this big, grand son of a gun be that way and not show it? I said, I’m not going to give up on him. ... He just didn’t turn the corner and then all of a sudden, I ran for a claim a couple of times. [Co-owner] Bob Lewis said, ‘Why are we running for $62,500? What about $25,000?’

When he won the second time, I remember going down the steps [at Santa Anita Park] with Jeff and saying, ‘Boy, we better hope nobody claimed this horse.’

BH: You had him in peak form at the right time — in April and May, didn’t you?

LUKAS: We’re trying to do it this year [with Rebel Stakes entrant Just Steel]. I told my clientele, I’m not going to screw down on this horse. I don’t want him to be super, super until late March ... he came back in the Southwest [Stakes Feb. 3] and I still didn’t have him where I wanted him. I’m hoping I’ve turned the screws enough and have him ready for the Rebel this week.

Thunder Gulch pulls away in 1995 Kentucky Derby stretch. (BloodHorse Library/Anne M. Eberhardt)

BH: And Thunder Gulch — you had Timber Country and Serena’s Song that year. They were the more fancied of your runners by the public after Thunder Gulch had disappointed in the Blue Grass Stakes. He was overlooked, wasn’t he?

LUKAS: He ran fourth in the Blue Grass and even [owner] Michael Tabor felt he was going flat on us. And of course, you second-guess yourself and your training. But that two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, that horse really blossomed. He was a small horse.

I remember working him. [Now-retired jockey] Donna Barton Brothers worked him for me and Serena’s Song and Timber Country ... I said to her going back to the barn when she was on [Thunder Gulch], ‘Well, you’ve been on three of them. What do you think?’ ‘This one right here,’ she said. I said, ‘You’re kidding.’ She said, ‘No, I think this is your best chance.’ I thought, ‘My gosh, that little fella might be the one.’

BH: Circling back to the museum — is there a trophy or anything that stands out as being particularly important to you?

LUKAS: I don’t know about a trophy, but I am really grateful and proud that they included Jeff. There are pictures of Jeff in the museum on his horse, with me, and Jeff is included all through there and he, of course, was so instrumental in our career. So, I didn’t realize they were doing that. But when I finally did see it the first time, I was so grateful that they included him in the museum. That’s the thing that stood out to me the most.

I mean, he actually slept [in the stall] with Winning Colors. He really locked in on her.