D. Wayne Lukas, the man behind some of horse racing’s biggest wins, passed away on June 28, 2025, at 89. He died quietly at his home in Louisville, Kentucky.
His final days were spent away from the hospital. After being diagnosed with a severe MRSA infection, Lukas chose to stop treatment and return home to be with his wife, Laurie, and their grandchildren. In a statement, his family said, “Wayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry… His final days were spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family, and faith.”
Fans knew Lukas as the bold, skilled trainer who dominated the sport for decades. But behind the fame was a more complicated personal story. He was married five times, lost his first son, and had a tight circle of loved ones by the end.
From his marriage to Laurie to his earlier relationships, and the children and grandchildren who were part of his world, here’s a closer look at the family side of D. Wayne Lukas.
He Was Married to Laurie, His Fifth Wife, At The Time of His Death
Lukas met Laurie Lynn later in life, but the timing didn’t matter. They understood each other from the start—both were horse people through and through. Laurie grew up around horses and eventually became a skilled quarter horse trainer. In 2013, they got married.
There was an age gap—Laurie was 17 years younger—but what kept them close was something simpler: they just got each other. They lived in a log cabin near Churchill Downs, not far from the track where Wayne spent most of his days. She supported him through a lot, including his tough bout with COVID-19 in 2020 and his final illness in 2025.
Even in his late 80s, Lukas didn’t believe in slowing down. He was up by 3:30 a.m., at the barn, on a horse, doing what he always did. Laurie stayed with him through it all—through the early mornings, the daily routine, and everything in between.
They didn’t expect to find love at that stage in life. “To find each other this late in life, we never expected it, neither of us,” Laurie told WAVE.
At home, Wayne had started writing poems—something no one saw coming. Laurie began saving his lines, jotting them down in a notebook. One of his favorites was about her:
“So beautiful girl, smile and walk a little slower when you walk by me.”
His First Spouse, Janet Lee Lukas, Also Passed Away
The racing legend married his first wife, Janet Lee Lukas, back in 1957, when he was still in his early twenties. That same year, they welcomed their only child, a son named Jeff Lukas.
Their marriage lasted 14 years before ending in 1971.
Janet passed away decades later, on October 8, 2023, at the age of 88. She had lived a quiet, full life rooted in her love for animals. Born on June 8, 1935, in Waupaca, Wisconsin, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin and eventually settled in La Crosse, where she spent most of her life.
Outside of work, Janet had a real passion for showing Irish Setters and Quarter Horses.
His Fourth Marriage to Laura Pinelli
Among Wayne Lukas’s five marriages, his fourth was to Laura Pinelli, a fellow horse trainer with just as much love for the sport as he had. They tied the knot in 1998, after years of working side by side in California.
Lukas handled his thoroughbreds at Santa Anita, while Laura focused on quarter horses at Los Alamitos. Their days were busy and their schedules full, but they made it work the only way they knew how. When they finally decided to marry, they boarded a quick flight to Las Vegas, said their vows, and were back at the stables the next morning—Laura at Los Alamitos, Lukas at Santa Anita.
Despite their shared passion for horses and a fast-paced routine that both understood, the marriage didn’t last.
“My profession ruined, I think, any relationship,” Lukas once admitted. “I don’t know anybody could have wanted to be married to me in the 1980s and ’90s when I was running day and night… I was never around.”
Eventually, they went their separate ways.
Kids and Other Family Members
Wayne Lukas was the father of three children, including his son Jeff Lukas from his first marriage. Jeff worked closely with him as an assistant trainer and was deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of the stable.
In 1993, Jeff’s life changed forever after he was struck by a horse named Tabasco Cat. The accident caused serious brain damage, and he was never able to return to work. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 58.
According to WAVE, Lukas had two other children who were preparing to get married in September 2022.
He is also survived by two grandchildren, Brady Wayne Lukas and Kelly Lukas Roy, and four great-grandchildren: Walker Wayne Lukas, Quinn Palmer Lukas, Jonathan James Roy, and Thomas David Roy.
