The Supreme Executive Committee is excited to announce Titan of the Horse Racing World Brother D. Wayne Lukas (Beta-Epsilon, University of Wisconsin-Madison, ’55) has been selected as 2024 Man of the Year. Lukas is recognized not only for his groundbreaking contributions to the sport but also for his unwavering passion, innovation in training methods, and success over decades of competition. He is the 91st member of Kappa Sigma to receive this distinguished honor, which is presented annually in recognition of extraordinary professional success and societal impact.
Brother Lukas was initiated into the Beta-Epsilon Chapter at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on November 17, 1955. Initially, he pursued a career in education, earning a Master’s degree and coaching as an Assistant for the University of Wisconsin-Madison and high school basketball. However, his true passion led him to the racetrack, and in 1968, he began his training career with quarter horses.
Brother D. Wayne Lukas’ journey from a small Wisconsin farm to the pinnacle of horse racing is a testament to dedication and excellence. Lukas has had tremendous Triple Crown success, securing four Kentucky Derby wins, seven Preakness Stakes victories, including the 2024 Preakness, and four Belmont Stakes titles. Nicknamed “The Coach,” Lukas has had a number of protégés and a legacy of mentoring and inspiring others, and he continues to be an icon in the sport. He also set records with 20 Breeders’ Cup wins and was the Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Trainer in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1994. Lukas was also the first trainer to surpass $100 million and then $200 million in career purse earnings. Inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1999, Lukas became the first person inducted into the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse Halls of Fame in 2007. Through 2024, Lukas has won 4,934 races (No. 9 all-time) with purse earnings of $292,948,606 (No. 6 all-time). In May 2024, Lukas became the oldest trainer at 88 to win a Triple Crown race when Seize the Grey won the Preakness.
We will announce the details for the Man of the Year Banquet to honor Brother Lukas shortly on the Fraternity’s website at www.kappasigma.org.
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