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 75th 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 ...
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