LUCAS' LAST MAJOR WIN IN HALL OF FAME TRAINING CAREER WAS 2025 VIRGINIA DERBY

 Of several things:

With Colonial Downs less than three weeks away from 

the start of a 41-day summer meet, it was announced 

Monday that D. WAYNE LUCAS, 89, who conditioned 

2025 Virginia Derby-winning American Promise, had 

been “diagnosed with severe health issues” and “will step 

away from training, effective immediately.”

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, Lucas won 4,967 

Thoroughbred races since 1977 when he claimed his first 

at Santa Anita. His last came June 12 in a second-level 

allowance at Churchill Downs.

Horses in the care of Lucas won 15 Triple Crown and 20 

Breeders’ Cup races, the most by any trainer. He earned 

upwards of $300 million, with 1,105 stakes race victories 

including 637 that were graded. His last graded stakes 

came in the 2024 Preakness when Seize the Gray finished 

first in an upset.

American Promise was the fourth choice on the morning 

line (12/1) for the March 15 Virginia Derby, held for the 

first time on dirt as a qualifier for the Kentucky Derby. 

Ridden by NIK JUAREZ, American Promise set a track 

record with 1:46.51 for the 1 1/8 -mile race, beating 

runnerup Render Judgement by a whopping 7 3/4 lengths, 

and paid $16.80. BOB BAFFERT-trained Getaway Car, 

the pre-race favorite (4/5), was a badly-beaten fourth.

The $500,000 Derby paid $300,000 to the winner. 

American Promise was only the second horse to run at 

Colonial Downs for Lucas, first since 2012, and he all put 

guaranteed to have an entry in the 2026 race at the New 

Kent County track. Now …

According to a release from his family … Lucas has 

suffered from a Methicillin-resistant … infection that 

caused “significant damage to his heart (and) digestive 

system and worsened pre-existing chronic conditions.”

He will forgo an aggressive form of treatment to go home 

and spend more time with his family … which “is 

requesting privacy at this difficult time.” 

*** Clemson ran off freshman running back

 MARQUISE HENDERSON last week, giving no 

explanation … Don’t be surprised if/when he’s welcomed 

to join “warden” KIRBY SMART’s University of 

Georgia’s convic … err, Bulldogs … many of whom have 

rap sheets. To his critics, the coach simply points to his 

record (won-lost, that is), says, “everyone deserves 

another chance,” and walks away, laughing.

*** Crowd noise was not a problem for TV viewers of 

Saudi Arabia/Trinidad & Tobacco Gold Cup soccer 

Sunday … which drew some (some) friends and (few) 

family to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas … How small 

was the “crowd?” Well, despite two games, organizers 

didn’t bother to announce a figure, official or otherwise 

… According to one account, most of the people who 

watched the first game were Mexicans who arrived early 

for their team’s match with Costa Rica.

In Arlington, Tex., Sunday, the United States men’s 

national team edged Haiti 2-1 to win its group and move 

on to the quarterfinals.PATRICK AGYEMANG, a 6-4 

striker from Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer, scored 

the winner in the 75^th minute, taking a perfect long pass 

from JOHN TOLKIN to break in alone on keeper

 JOHNY PLACIDE … MALIK TILLMAN, who plays 

for PSV of the top pro league in Holland, gave the 

Americans an early lead, placing a perfect header by a 

lunging Placide to the far corner. It was Tillman’s third 

goal of the tournament. He also had two goals disallowed, 

one for offsides (good call), the other seen as a hand ball 

after it clipped his right arm inadvertently (bad call).

By the way, the USMNT beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 Thursday 

in what was described as “a match [that] was frustrating 

and uninspired.” CHRIS RICHARDS, center back who 

plays for EPL Crystal Palace, scored the goal … and it 

was his defensive block in the first half that eliminated 

the Saudi’s best (only?) threat.

Attendance was said to be fewer than 10,000 in a 25,000 

capacity stadium in Austin, Tex., where cheapest ticket 

was $92.

A few takeaways (everyone is doing it, why not us, too?) 

from the start of “Summer of Soccer” in this country, that 

is serving as a warmup (really HOT, actually) for the 

2026 World Cup to be held in North 

America … USA mostly:

If Americans could only finish … but they couldn’t. 

Sunday, they had enough good opportunities to score a 

minimum of six or seven goals … The good news is 

coach MAURICIO POCHETTINO didn’t use/didn’t 

have most of his first unit. Missing wide-open headers off 

set pieces became almost comical.

Starting keeper MATT TURNER, the former Richmond 

Kicker, was withheld while Pochettino got a good look at 

6-5 MATT FREESE, who was seldom tested in all three 

games … However, the MVP for MLS New York FC in 

2024, Freese was directly responsible for Haiti’s goal, 

making a poor pass that was intercepted … the kind of 

blunder that will be difficult for him to live down.

So, what did you learn about the USMNT? “For the 

players who didn’t start today, I would be concerned. It’s 

looking like this is the end of the road. Going forward 

now, Pochettino is playing his best 11, and not making 

many substitutes, because he’s got to try to win this 

tournament,” said former USMNT star LANDON 

DONOVAN.

“It wasn’t perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but 

they won all their games. You saw progression, and 

therefore, some momentum,” said ALEXI LALAS, 

another ex-USA standout working with Donovan in the 

TV studio. “Tillman was awesome, and when everyone is 

back together, he’s going to make a case that he is a 

starter for this team.”

Until next time ...