Luskin Star
Born: 2 Sept 1974
Bred: Kaoru Star-Promising
Trainer: Max Lees
Jockey: John Wade
Starts 17
Wins 13
Seconds 3
2yo Triple Crown 1977
Breeders Plate 1976
Silver Slipper 1977
Golden Slipper 1977
AJC Sires Produce 1977
Champagne Stakes 1977
QTC Sires Produce 1977
Marlboro Stakes 1977 (Now J J Atkins)
Caulfield Guineas 1977
Expressway Stakes 1978
Phar Lap Stakes 1978
The Galaxy 1978
The “Collosal Colt From The Coalfields” (as dubbed by the late great Ken Howard) record stands tall even in
2018. Passed in at the 1976 Sydney Easter Yearling Sales with a reserve of only $8,000, he was soon after
purchased by an little known Newcastle trainer Max Lees for local clients. Luskin Star won on debut at Royal
Randwick in the Breeders Plate by a mere 12 lengths running scintillating time on a slow track. After winning
the Silver Slipper, he was spelled before resuming at Newcastle in the Northern Slipper Stakes, which
became his only 2yo defeat, a narrow one at that behind speedster Mistress Ann. Lees attempted to scratch
the colt after heavy rain prior to the race, alas, Stewards denied his request. He then won the Todman
Slipper, Golden Slipper by 7 lengths, Sires Produce, Champagne Stakes, QTC Sires and Marlboro in
succession to prove he was the best 2yo in the country.
In the Spring of 1977 he won the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, showing he was adept at both clockwise and
counterclockwise ways of going. In the Spring of 1978, he was sent to Bart Cummings to be trained following
an ownership change. His only unplaced run of his career came in the 1978 W S Cox Plate, where he failed
to handle Moonee Valley. His total prize money had he raced in 2017 would have been over $10m.
Luskin Star went on to become a champion sire with 342 winners in Australia and earning over $3.2m in
prize money, standing at Newhaven Park in the Hunter Valley. He became renowned as a sire of
broodmares, passing away in 2002 following a hoof injury.