4 Lessons From A Trainer Of Legendary Racehorses

Forbes

13-07-2025

Wayne Lukas, (Photo by Michael Reaves)
A world-class horse trainer has crossed the finish line. Legendary horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas died on June 28th, just two months short of turning 90. He was one of the most successful horse trainers in history, training 23 world champions, winning four Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakness Stakes, and four Belmont Stakes.
Horse racing was always in Wayne Lukas' blood. He raced his pony at local fairs as a child and was buying, selling, and training horses by the time he was eight. Over the course of his career, his horses won nearly 5,000 races and earned over $300 million. It was his unique training approach that made "Coach" Lukas one of a kind. Here are four of his key training principles.
Jockey Kevin Krigger with Lukas
Wayne Lukas managed horse training the way Robert Kraft runs the New England Patriots—as a system. He employed an integrated team model tightly organized around the resources, responsibilities, and responses necessary to optimize performance on the track. All those associated with his operation were goal-focused rather than task-oriented. They were clear on their jobs; they also focused on their mission. "This is not The Black Stallion," Lukas would say, "You can't just whisper in his ear."
Excellent performance is grounded in far more than merely acquiring competence; learning must be rewarded and nurtured. Learning objectives and performance requirements are hardwired together. Learners must have leaders who value and reinforce their newfound expertise .Shaky novices are supported until they can become confident masters. Resources needed for excellence are generously provided, not parceled out, with an emphasis on the bare minimum.
Lukas after Preakness win
Wayne Lukas was easy to spot at a horserace. He wore a $3,000 suit, a Rolex watch, distinctive aviator sunglasses, and a white Stetson hat. He looked like a winner. But his approach was to encourage his horses to feel that same "on top of the world" confidence. Once asked about what he looked for in a filly, Lukas said, "She should have a head like a princess, a butt like a washerwoman, and walk like a hooker." It was his colorful metaphor for the perpetual pursuit of splendor.
Make demonstrated competence a source of evident admiration and unmistakable affirmation. Like the Native Americans who saved their best corn seeds for next year's planting, make your superstars mentors of new associates. Give trainees a chance to receive attention in a way that brings a sought-after spotlight. Showcase learners to valuable clients and essential partners.
Lukas with stable pony
Goal-oriented training is not a new concept. But great leaders help promote wisdom, not just competence. Competent learners achieve tasks; wise learners solve problems. Competent learners deliver what is expected; wise ones discover new ways to deliver. Lukas wanted more than a winning horse; he wanted a legendary champion. Lukas was also a pioneer in data-based learning. Feedback from countless measures provided the intelligence to refine and invent, not just correct and adjust. It enabled him to innovate the world of horse training.
Learning should never become a check-the-box necessity. It should use the organization's mission as its anchor, solidly congruent with its values. It should be measured, monitored, and validated, just as any other crucial organizational endeavor. Great leaders view learning as a powerful force, never as a costly extra; an investment in the future that is inspected with the same scrutiny as all other critical ventures.
In the words of cowboy humorist Tex Bender, "You can pretend to care, but you can't pretend to be there." Wayne Lukas trained from atop his horse, not from afar. "I'm on a horse every day for four to five hours," said Lukas. "If I'm working a horse five-eighths, and I have some question about its condition, I want to see how hard it's breathing myself before it gets back to the barn. I learn so much from the horse."
Lukas leads Proud Citizen
Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kantor wrote, "Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach." Lukas was an avid learner, just like his prized horses. He knew what a horse needed by listening intently to what the horse communicated. Some labeled his gift that of a whisperer; those who knew him credited his deep respect and passion for the horse.
Lukas's motto was "What have you done today to improve yourself?" His horses were "in school" practically the moment they were born. He knew conditioning was an ongoing, everyday thing. 'To train a racehorse,' he would say, 'You must be very intense and involved.'
The world of work is in constant motion, and the requirements for success are constantly changing. Active learners flourish as those who have learned fall behind. It is the progressive leader who recognizes that learning is not the price of entry but the permit to stay in the game. And there is no better nor timely formula than that lived by D. Wayne Lukas. May he rest in peace, and may his memory be a blessing--and a lesson.