Few horses touched the heart like the Black Gold did. Thanks to Marguerite Henry’s 1957 book, this black colt with the little white star was a childhood favorite of generations of racing fans, his triumphant, yet tragic life a poignant reminder of why we love this sport and its equine athletes.

To be human is to know both love and loss. Experiencing the highs and lows of life is both a universal and individual pursuit, inhabiting common ground between strangers and also being a singular journey that each of us must discover our own way through. Finding our way through loss, when we may feel least like ourselves, requires us to seek and hold on to the things that lighten a heavy heart.