D. Wayne Lukas cane highlights chaplaincy benefit at Oaklawn

A wooden cane autographed by D. Wayne Lukas and listing some of the major accomplishments throughout almost five decades in Thoroughbred horse racing sold for $6,000 at an auction to benefit the Arkansas Racetrack Chaplaincy on Thursday night.

Thursday's banquet, which took place at the Oaklawn events center, featured a prime rib dinner as well as live and silent auctions. Other items auctioned at Thursday's banquet included a halter from horse of the year Thorpedo Anna, a quilt made from Oaklawn saddle towels, an iron bed frame with horses on it from the home of the Cella family and more.

The Arkansas Racetrack Chaplaincy is a nonprofit organization that provides year-round interdenominational chapel services and Bible study, a food pantry, a community clothing closet and classes in English as a second language. Rich and Robi Heffington are the chaplains, and James Watson is the president of the board. Thursday's auction banquet is the major yearly fundraising event for the organization, which is also funded through regular donations from horse owners, supporting churches and other donors.