Luther looks to celebrate birthday early in $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield Park

Trainer Todd Luther hopes to celebrate his birthday a little early when Why Not Now competes in Saturday’s (June 8) $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield Park.

Luther, who began his training career in 2005, has 683 wins and just shy of $9.5 million in career earnings.

While he played baseball growing up, Luther always found time to watch the races, but he wished he had more time to delve into the business. Luther wasted no time getting into the business; not long after graduating high school, his grandfather got sick and passed away.

“I helped my brother and grandpa; both were heavily involved in racing,” said Luther. “They taught me what I am lucky to know now and that education has paid dividends.”

Following his grandfather’s death, Luther knew he wanted to carry on his legacy and carry on the legacy he has. Luther has developed some of the Midwest’s best-stakes horses. Training the likes of Katie’s Lucky Day, Catch The Fire, Captain Kirk, and Rose Run Yolanda has given Luther a sense of pride.

“I love Ohio; it’s home for me,” said Luther. “We have a great stakes program, better than any state. Winning races like the Battle is something you dream of.”

Luther lives in Ohio with his fiancee, Toni Dale Hollar, and has three children, Skyler, Lainey, and Ellie. Having three kids and a stable full of horses can sometimes be difficult, but he is happy having a partner in crime by his side.

“Toni is what holds us all together. She’s amazing. She is the backbone of the family, and I couldn’t do this job without her and the support she gives me.”

Saturday will be Luther’s third attempt to win the Battle of Lake Erie; he last tried with Catch The Fire in 2021 (third) and again in 2022 (fifth). With victory so close he could taste it, Luther says he is ready for another date with destiny.

“I’d love to win the Battle, my team and I have been so close, it makes you really want it.”

On Saturday, trained by Luther and owned by brother Greg (Greg Luther Racing), the pair will be bring 4-year-old Why Not Now to the Home of the Flying Turns. To win the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie, Why Not Now, who drew post eight, will have to do something only one horse has done previously — win from the outside post. The only horse to win from the outside was Bono Bests (Keith Kash Jr.) in 2008.

“The draw wasn’t kind to us, and it is definitely not something you want, but they will be mixing it up early, and anything can happen,” chuckled Luther. “When you get Danny (Noble) in the bike, that’s always a plus because horses respond to him like no other. I don’t have a strategy going into the race; I will talk with Danny, and the rest is up to him.”

While the son of Always A Virgin was winless at two, he garnered $89,715 in earnings for trainer Dylan Davis, getting a check in all but two starts of his freshman campaign.

Why Not Now turned things on in his 3-year-old season for Davis, winning four straight to kick off his sophomore season. After a win in the first leg of the Indiana Sires Stakes, he roared to a 1:50.1 victory in the $80,000 Hoosier Cup and came right back the following week in the $135,500 Jenna’s Beach Boy with an eye-popping 1:48.2 effort.

Why Not Now would go on to win the Indiana Super Final and the $260,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace at Dover Downs. At the end of the year, Luther’s interest in the horse started to peak.

“We watched him race last year during the Indiana Sires Stakes, and he always showed great speed. At the end of the year, he just kept getting better and better, and after the Progress Pace, Greg said, ‘I’m buying him,’” said Luther.

It was decided that Why Not Now would do double duty, breeding and racing as a 4-year-old, so the Luthers sent their newest purchase to Daryl Miller in Indiana because he was close to the breeding shed.

“I went over when I could and trained him. I instantly knew he was something special,” said Luther. “Double duty hasn’t seemed to bother him. He looks great, is keeping weight on, and you can tell he’s excited to get back racing.”

When the time came to qualify, Why Not Now‘s connections were thrilled with what they saw; in his return to the races, he won by nine lengths in 1:50.4. The brothers weren’t as happy with his second qualifier, and while he won, he didn’t appear to be as sharp.

“He was in to go the night before his second qualifier, and they canceled. We elected to qualify him, so he got Lasix for the second time that morning, and I think that played a role in it,” said Luther.

Luther shipped Why Not Now for a $48,545 Graduate division at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The colt sat just off the pace and rallied late to be fourth, only beaten two lengths.

“I was really happy with him in Canada, I wish we would have got a little room to get out late, but that’s racing, I couldn’t have asked for a better first start,” added Luther.

Luther calls Why Not Now “Hydro” and says that he is a complete professional, reminding him a lot of Catch The Fire, all class.

“You can tell he loves what he does and wants to win. I can’t wait to see what the season brings for him. He could be the best horse I’ve ever trained.”

Racing begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at Northfield Park.