Three of Lukas’ Ribs Broken in Accident

Wayne Lukas, the leading trainer in purses for the last nine years, broke three ribs in an accident during training hours Tuesday morning at Santa Anita.

Shari Lukas said that her husband would be hospitalized for the next couple of days.

“Wayne’s in a lot of pain,” she said. “It was a freak accident.”

Lukas, 56, who escorts many of his horses from the barn to the track, was on his pony near the 1 1/4-mile chute when the horse with them spooked. That horse kicked the trainer’s pony, which threw Lukas. The trainer was taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Shari Lukas said. “At first we thought he might have suffered a broken shoulder blade, but they found out that it was only bruised. Also, Wayne was fortunate that he didn’t get hit in the back area where he had that surgery a couple of years ago.”

Lukas’ horses earned $17.8 million in 1988, which is still the record. Last year, he led the nation with a total of $15.9 million.