All joking aside, it was one of the saddest things I've ever seen.

I watched as they brought HIM out of the paddock area and down towards the track. I yelled out "Make it good, Smokestack". Another 10-12 steps after that the horse rolled over onto the dirt and had a fit. I watched as his legs went flailing and then turned away as his trainer and owner came running over, crying, trying to comfort the horse.

Two minutes later the track officials had put up a "blind" around the horse (to block the view of the crowd), but by that time it was already too late. I'll never be able to forget that image.