Hall of Fame trainer Wayne Lukas was renowned for securing top talent at yearling sales, often purchasing some of the most attractive horses that went through the sales ring.
So it was only fitting July 8 that six horses owned by his estate and other partners would prove fancied by buyers during Fasig-Tipton's July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale near Lexington. The half-dozen hips, collectively sold for $939,000, topped by Delancey Street, an unraced 2-year-old Street Sense colt purchased by bloodstock agent Justin Casse for $400,000.
Mulholland Springs consigned the half-dozen Lukas horses for the trainer's estate after the Hall of Famer's death June 28 at age 89.
Lukas' widow, Laurie, was in attendance at Fasig-Tipton on Tuesday and received numerous hugs and kind words of support from other attendees. She watched eagerly from the back sales ring alongside other friends, including Martha Jane Mulholland of Mulholland Springs and longtime Lukas' assistant and now head trainer Sebastian "Bas" Nicholl.
"Wayne would have been so happy" with the sale and the support, Laurie Lukas said.
"This is what he wanted. This was something we talked about not that long ago. ... Martha Jane—I have no words—Sebastian, the whole team came together here at the end," she continued.
Laurie, a skilled horsewoman, co-owned horses with her late husband.
Martha Jane Mulholland said it was "a joy to represent (Lukas) and to help Laurie. This is the end of an era and I hate to see it passing."
She expressed satisfaction with the response from buyers to the six horses.
Trainer Norm Casse, nephew of purchaser Justin Casse, approached Laurie to wish her well after the Casses secured Delancey Street, Hip 368. Norm Casse knew Wayne Lukas for years, with both basing their operations primarily at Churchill Downs from spring through fall.
He said Delancey Street would race for "a group of partners who have supported me for a long time."
Delancey Street has recorded several works at Ellis Park, including a bullet three-furlongs in :35 3/5 June 22. Bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm, Delancey Street is related to three winners produced out of the Malibu Moon mare Mooghareadh. One of those, Tarneema (Kitten's Joy), is stakes-placed.
"We heard some reports about how well the horse was training, how much Wayne liked the horse," Norm said. "We wanted to take a chance, and we wanted to have a chance on a Wayne Lukas 2-year-old."
