Lukin Gilliland, Sr. was a lifelong horse owner, breeder, and legal counsel to horse owners and breeders for a wide range of equine matters, Including the buying, selling, foal sharing, and syndication of thoroughbreds.
Gilliland started breeding quarter horses in 1965. The horses that Gilliland bred raced in various futurities and derbies in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Florida, California, and Oklahoma. His most recent win was the $365,000 Texas Quarter Horse Futurity at Retama Park Race Track in which Grey Daze, a horse bred by Gilliland, finished first.
In 1980 Gilliland co-founded Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds. Under Gilliland’s leadership, Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds bred and raced thoroughbreds in 10 states and 6 other countries. One of the more notable horses produced by Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds was Sunday Silence who won the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with a lifetime winnings of $4,968,554. Gilliland was also known for his horse Top Divi who won multiple futurities and ran in the 1969 All American Futurity, and Si Puede who received the 2005 AQHA Superior Race Horse award. Gilliland’s horse Skywalker won the 1985 Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Mr. Gilliland was a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association as well as a member of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association of Texas, The Texas Thoroughbred Owners Association, the Appaloosa Horse Club, The American Horse Council, and he was a board member for the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Gilliland started breeding quarter horses in 1965. The horses that Gilliland bred raced in various futurities and derbies in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Florida, California, and Oklahoma. His most recent win was the $365,000 Texas Quarter Horse Futurity at Retama Park Race Track in which Grey Daze, a horse bred by Gilliland, finished first.
In 1980 Gilliland co-founded Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds. Under Gilliland’s leadership, Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds bred and raced thoroughbreds in 10 states and 6 other countries. One of the more notable horses produced by Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds was Sunday Silence who won the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with a lifetime winnings of $4,968,554. Gilliland was also known for his horse Top Divi who won multiple futurities and ran in the 1969 All American Futurity, and Si Puede who received the 2005 AQHA Superior Race Horse award. Gilliland’s horse Skywalker won the 1985 Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Mr. Gilliland was a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association as well as a member of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association of Texas, The Texas Thoroughbred Owners Association, the Appaloosa Horse Club, The American Horse Council, and he was a board member for the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame.