Bas Nicholl

Former D. Wayne Lukas assistant Sebastian 'Bas' Nicholl, who assumed care of the late trainer's stable in late June in a succession plan put in place by Lukas Enterprises, Inc., will no longer serve as a head trainer. The story was first reported by Daily Racing Form. Nicholl told DRF the last horses formerly trained by Lukas left the barn Tuesday and are being sent to other trainers. Nicholl, a former captain in the British Army and Lukas's assistant for more than 20 years, is in the midst of helping...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - There was far more than a simple change of address for trainer Cherie DeVaux when she was assigned Barn 83--for decades the Saratoga base for legendary D. Wayne Lukas--for this summer's racing season. In addition to dealing with the daily demands of managing her large stable, DeVaux, a rising star in the sport, has embraced her new roles: historian and preservationist of an important corner of the barn area on the sprawling Saratoga Race Course grounds. Within a day or two of DeVaux moving her stable...

LOUISVILLE, KY--What a difference a day makes. The activity on the backside only a day ago offered a hint that something big was encroaching, however, Wednesday dawned with an explosion of activity straight out of the gate. Masses piled onto the barn area to watch the morning workouts, reminding me just how different Churchill Downs is Derby week when compared to almost any other racetrack in the United States. Fans are given a tremendous amount of access, creating an atmosphere that is difficult to compare most other venues. Trying to...