The sports world lost a titan in the horse racing industry last weekend when legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas died at 89.
Lukas was among the greatest trainers the sport has ever seen, winning 15 Triple Crown races, including four Kentucky Derbys. And he didn’t just win the big races, he won everywhere, his horses coming in first nearly 5,000 times and earning more than $301 million.
And while none of his horses individually completed the Triple Crown (winning the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes in one year), he made history in 1995 when his horses teamed up to pull it off, with Thunder Gulch winning the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, while Timber Country took the Preakness Stakes. No other trainer has managed to duplicate that feat.
You can learn all about Lukas in this excellent story — did you know the “D.” stands for Darnell? — which should give you a leg up on this week’s quiz. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because a lot was going on. We hope you’ve been paying attention.
Good luck, and if you have a moment, you should play our daily Connections: Sports Edition, too!
Top stories mentioned in this week’s quiz
- A look back at the amazing career of D. Wayne Lukas
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- One year after retiring, this NFL veteran is making a comeback
- Maple Leafs trade Mitch Marner. Here’s how they did in the deal
- Dave Parker dies at 74. “The most all-around talented player.”
- Shohei Ohtani did WHAT? Another personal best for Dodgers star
- How Saudi side Al Hilal pulled off huge upset at Club World Cup
- Sprinter logs fastest 100-meter time of the year, sixth fastest all-time
- The WNBA is expanding, but not to one of its original cities
- Explaining one of the most curious deferred contracts in sports history
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; top photos: Claus Andersen, Gary Dineen / NBAE, Jamie Squire, Patricia De Melo Moreira / AFP, Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
Bob Harkins is a senior editor on the news team at The Athletic. Before joining The Athletic, Bob held multiple roles at FOX Sports, including editorial manager of live events and senior editor for colleges. He also spent 13 years at NBC Sports, where he was senior editor for MLB.
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