Lee Wagner Sr., owner of the South End landmark Wagner’s Pharmacy and who befriended countless racegoers from nearby Churchill Downs, died last night, his family said today.
Wagner had suffered from diabetes for some years. His pharmacy, with its short-order grill, was a popular racetrack hangout. Wagner also owned the Becker & Durski tack shop next door.
“He was a good friend to a lot of people,” said trainer Don Winfree. “There were hundreds or thousands of horsemen that he’s helped through the years with problems, whether they were related to a horse or to their own medical problems. You couldn’t list all the guys who through the years had their payroll checks cashed (by their employees at the pharmacy), and if somebody was having a little trouble, you’d ask, ‘Could you hold that check for a couple of days?’ and he’d cover for them.
“If somebody didn’t have enough money, Lee would say, ‘Don’t worry about it. Catch me when you can,’" Winfree said. "He was a friend to every horseman and probably every local person around here, from Nick Zito to Bob Baffert, right down the line."