That is the spotlight of the race that equestrians and sporting arts lovers stay up for annually. The Keeneland Affiliation and Crossgate Gallery proceed to collaborate by offering 13 works.th yearly sports activities artwork public sale It is going to be held on the Keeneland Gross sales Pavilion on Thursday, November thirteenth at 4pm ET. Every year has seen nice success, together with final 12 months’s Leroy Neiman “To The Wire,” which offered for $334,875. This 12 months’s public sale contains 5 works by Nieman, in addition to works by Sir Alfred J. Munnings, Vaughan Flannery, and beloved Kentucky folks artist Henry Lawrence Faulkner. (Benefit from the picture slideshow beneath displaying all of the paintings featured on this essay.)
Work depicting the wonder and velocity of horse racing are on show. A contemporary perspective is Frank Ashley’s “They’re Off” (#177), which provides a reasonably attention-grabbing perspective on the rear finish of the thoroughbred speeding line. The silks of the ten jockeys sparkle with coloration because the horses hop throughout the luxurious grass course. It is uncommon and really memorable.
Quang Ho’s portray “Down the Stretch” (#134) captures the bizarre sight of a horse heading towards the grandstand because it races in the direction of the end line. That is normally a perspective solely seen by truck photographers. His work seize the velocity and momentum of the race and are actually photogenic.
One of many joys of a sports activities artwork public sale is the portraits of varied stallions. Many historic artists are well-known for his or her accuracy. Harry Gap is a British artist identified for his three-dimensional structural evaluation. His historic portrait ‘Blue Robe – 1968 Derby and Ascot Cup Winner’ (#15) is painted within the common fashion of the time, with a barely smaller head and muscular hindquarters. Blue Robe was retired as a stallion in Germany, returned to England, and died on the best way to america. (In relatively unhappy circumstances, the ship’s crew needed to throw him overboard, however they left a hoof for the coach.)
William Smithson Broadhead’s Brown Jack of the Paddock (#70) options the favored hurdle gelding who gained the Queen Alexander Stakes six years in a row. Brown Jack was additionally awarded a bronze medal by Sir Alfred J. Munnings within the paddock at Ascot. He lived at Lawton’s Barcelona Stables and was pampered with meals that included whiskey and sizzling beer. He had a locomotive named after him, and his skeleton was stored within the Pure Historical past Museum. He’s steadily referred to in Lawton historical past as “essentially the most beloved character.”
Internationally acclaimed Irish artist Alan Brassington makes a speciality of life-size horse portraits and offers a novel entrance view of Motivator (#137), 2005 British Horse of the Yr and Champion 3-Yr-Previous Horse. Brassington remembers. “I used to be requested by the Royal Ascot Racing Membership to color portraits of their horses. I bought to go to Sandringham. I am very fortunate and fortunate to have the ability to examine such a fantastic horse. It is uncommon to be within the presence of such a fantastic thoroughbred champion, and when it occurs it can positively be within the prime 5 of the true greats I will be portray.”
Brassington is Artist in Residence at Royal Ascot Racing Membership. The 2005 Epsom Derby winner, Motivator, is the sire of Treve, a two-time Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner and 2013 European Horse of the Yr.
John Fitzgerald is Cala Racecourse’s Artist in Residence and his studio and gallery is open to the general public on race days. His portraits of stallions are in excessive demand. He was commissioned to color a portrait of Shergar that was featured within the BBC documentary ‘In search of Shergar’. The stallion portrait of undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify (#161) is really superb. His lovely chestnut coat shines in opposition to the comfortable grey background. Horse racing journalist Steve Haskin referred to as Justify the “towering, muscular Adonis of horses,” and Fitzgerald definitely captures that.
Kentucky artist Jamie Corum lately accomplished a hanging Sunday Silence mural in Paris, Kentucky. In 2024, he accomplished a 32-foot by 30-foot mural of the Hill and Dale stallion Curlin throughout from Secretariat Park, complementing the Secretariat three-story mural (2022).
In lot quantity 162, she painted a robust portrait of Karlin. she says: curl! He’s positively one among my major muses today! His presence could be very spectacular, filled with confidence and authority. He’s the king of Harapah and is aware of it. I used to be fortunate sufficient to spend fairly a little bit of time with him whereas portray his mural in Paris final 12 months. I liked watching him patrol the perimeter of the pasture and shuttle forwards and backwards to his enclosure like a big alpha lion. If you happen to’re fortunate sufficient to catch his gaze, he’ll stare at you with Carlin’s traditional “massive eyes.” It’s so distinctive and I really like watching when he stamps his offspring with the identical elaborate eye construction!”
Arkansas horse sculptor Jan Woods carves Oaklawn Park’s championship trophy. “Again on the Sale” is her bronze tribute to coach Buck Evans. “He was an iconic horse coach within the Keeneland racing ring for a few years. I’ve by no means seen anybody calm a harder stallion along with his quiet demeanor. He was very sort. I assumed he had lots of persona in his face.”
If you happen to look by this 12 months’s works in catalogs or on-line, you will see that the seasons play an essential function in inspiring artists. Watercolor artist Sandra Oppegaard captures the comfortable world of rebirth in her watercolor “Spring” (#139), featured on the 2025 Keeneland Journal Spring cowl.
Peter Howell was good at portray gentle. His portray “Oklahoma Coaching Space, Saratoga Springs” (#67) captures the daylight filtering by the bushes as six horses and their riders stroll gently down a horse path. The equine artwork world remains to be mourning the lack of the gentlemanly Peter Howell, who handed away in 2024. This 12 months’s public sale will function seven of his beautiful work.
Peter Smith vividly depicts a snow race within the Swiss Alps with daring coloration decisions and powerful use of sunshine, conveying the sharp crispness of winter. (#122 “Ultimate Bend – St. Moritz”) The jockeys are sporting helmets, goggles, and masks, and snow flies from their horses in all places. The final nook could be very thrilling!
Additionally impressed by winter, Jaime Corum affords the fourth and closing portray in her 4 Seasons sequence (“Winter” #126). “This can be my favourite. I am comfortable that the idea of a blanket round a horse’s neck has developed to learn as each a blanket and a fantastical area you can visually journey by. The whole lot feels calm and nonetheless, like a chilly, snowy evening. Regardless of the chilly, the horse is cozy contained in the magical blanket, maybe dreaming of winter. The weather of the complete moon and snowy owl additionally add to the sense of dreamlike magic” realism. ”
Yearly, treasures come up on the market on the Sports activities Artwork Public sale. In addition to depictions of varied horses, there are charming cats, a lot of canine, fish, swish birds, wild boars, cheeky rhinos, lush landscapes, Western artwork, folks artwork, and even cute work of three donkeys. Gross sales catalogs are a “should have” for sports activities artwork lovers. You may also entry the paintings by the Crossgates web site 2025 Catalog | Sporting Artwork Public sale offers on-line bidding directions. In line with Keeneland’s mission, a portion of the affiliation’s public sale proceeds profit its nonprofit efforts.
The advantage of sports activities artwork auctions is that you will discover historic items that educate and encourage artwork appreciation. On the similar time, Cross Gate Gallery affords a contemporary perspective on sports activities artwork whereas offering an avenue to nurture and assist up to date artists. It is a wonderful marriage of previous and current offered by an enchanting and thrilling public sale.
