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Justin Manning / Eclipse Sportswire
Legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas will not return to racing after being diagnosed with severe medical problems, according to a news release Sunday from his family.
The release said 89-year-old trainer had suffered a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection that caused “significant damage to his heart (and) digestive system and worsened preexisting chronic conditions.”
“Doctors proposed an aggressive treatment plan involving multiple surgeries and procedures over several months,” but noted that even if those were successful he “would require 24/7 care to manage daily activities.”
“After thoughtful discussions, Wayne has chosen to decline the aggressive treatment plan and return home to spend his remaining time with his wife Laurie, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” it said.
The release said Bas Nicholl, who joined Lukas’s team in 2002, will assume command of Lukas’ stable, “maintaining the Lukas name until the family can smoothly transition the company to Bas’s full control.”
Lukas, who began his career as a quarterhorse trainer, has been conditioning Thoroughbreds since 1974. His lifetime record stood at 30,436: 4,953-4,254-3,809.
This article will be updated.