04/24/2021
This is a gentleman named Wayne Potts with a racehorse he trained, American Sailor. My friend Barbara D. Livingston took this photo after Sailor won a stakes race last year at Saratoga.
Yesterday evening a barn at Belmont Park caught fire. Many brave people risked their lives to rescue horses, and fifty-eight were saved. Two, both trained by Potts, perished. One of them was American Sailor. Mr. Potts ran to his stall in smoke so thick he couldn't see or breathe, but was unable to get him out. He is devastated, and last night wrote an achingly beautiful eulogy to American Sailor and his lost stablemate, Beastie D.
I wanted to share this photo to memorialize not only American Sailor, but the communion he shared with his trainer. If you're not fated to live a long life, may you spend those days surrounded by this much love.