Trainer D. Wayne Lukas does not celebrate his birthday like Bill Mott, who seems to win on his birthday regularly.
Yet on a Sept. 2 afternoon, racing’s living legend turned Saratoga Race Course into the setting for a festive celebration as he won the day’s first race with Daily Grind on his 89th birthday.
In typical Saratoga fashion, with track announcer Frank Mirahmadi announcing the feat, Lukas’ arrival in the winner’s circle was greeted with loud applause and cries of “Happy birthday!”
“They all say New Yorkers are coarse and cold, but I don’t feel that here at Saratoga,” Lukas said after his second victory at the 40-day meet. “It’s a warm feeling. Coming through the crowd, I’m a little slow with the cane, but people were hollering. It was different. It was very, very warm and very gratifying.”
While this hasn’t been Lukas’ most successful stay at Saratoga, even at the tender age of 89 his drive to succeed remains as fierce as it was 40 years ago, when he was the sport’s premier trainer.
“It’s training and winning,” Lukas said when asked what keeps him so active at an advanced age. “I love getting on my horse in the mornings. If I ever lose my competitive fire, you’ll be the first to know, because I won’t be around.”
The Hall of Famer, who has won 4,932 races with earnings of $297 million, captured the Preakness Stakes (G1) with Seize the Grey this year. It was his 15th Triple Crown win.
The $100,000 maiden win with a 7-1 shot ($16.20) was especially satisfying because it came with BC Stables’ Daily Grind, a 3-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro who was bought for $1,350,000 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s select yearling sale. The initial win in the colt’s 14th career start came after two seconds, no thirds, and a fifth in the Sir Barton Stakes in his most recent starts. He has now earned $129,077.
“We gave $1,350,000 for this guy and he’s made me lay awake and worry about him. It’s a tremendous responsibility because I picked him out,” Lukas said. “We bought him up here and I thought he’d be in the picture more than in just a maiden race but maybe after this one he’ll break through.”
With one win in the bank, Lukas will try for the cherry on top later Monday when he sends out BC Stable’s Innovator , a 15-1 maiden, in the Hopeful Stakes (G1). In case you want to dismiss the 2-year-old, keep in mind Lukas owns more Hopeful wins than anyone else (eight) and it is his birthday.
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