In his keynote address at the induction ceremony on Friday morning, Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens made mention of how many people are involved in the development and career of a racehorse, and how many people want to see a promising youngster succeed when he takes to the track - from the owners, breeders and trainer, to the jockey aboard, to the hotwalkers and grooms, to fans holding a ticket or simply enjoying the horse.

Sunday morning at Saratoga, Stevens was working the 2-year-old Thatcatismine in company for trainer Todd Pletcher - who the retired rider still breezes horses for occasionally. Just after completing his five-furlong work, Thatcatismine collapsed. Pletcher and onlookers believe he died instantly from an internal injury, perhaps a ruptured aorta or a heart attack. Colleague Teresa Genaro says the colt didn't move after collapsing and also believes he died instantly - some small comfort. Stevens walked away under his own power, but believes he may have broken his collarbone.

Thatcatismine had gone to the post once with a colorful story to show for it. The regally-bred son of Horse of the Year Mineshaft, out of the Grade I winning Storm Cat mare Catinca was bet down to among the favorites by the crowd on Whitney Day. However, he leapt in the air as the gates opened, leaving Johnny Velazquez behind while he took off after the field. He pulled up without incident and had been preparing for his second start.

(Thatcatismine, #1, warming up for his first start.)

Although it's an inevitable part of the game that everyone involved needs to find their own way of coming to terms with, it's always, no two ways about it, awful when a horse dies on the track. Especially when it's a 2-year-old who now won't get the chance to live a long life.

However, despite his youth, I am struck by - as Stevens noted in his speech - how many people knew or had been touched by this horse in his short life. Of course there's the team of WinStar Farm, Pletcher, his barn staff, and the riders who had been aboard the colt in his short career. But there are also the fans. Many were willing to stake money on him in his only start, pinning their hopes on him. The talented local photographer Connie Bush had taken quite a liking to the colt and had been following him since prior to the meet's start, as horses began training at Saratoga. There's a member of the popular online horse racing forum Thoroughbred Champions who goes by the username Catinca, who closely follows the family of that beloved mare. Touchingly, she posted photos today of Catinca with Thatcatismine as a foal.

There are a million moments every day, whether it's an uplifting, thrilling rush at the finish of a stakes race or a tragedy like this morning's, that remind us how these horses touch our lives - and the lives of so many others. Be grateful.