Internationally recognized equine artist Robert Schaar has created the official poster for the 130th Preakness Stakes (gr. I). The poster, which depicts four horses powering to the finish line, will be on sale for $25 at Pimlico's gift shop and Preakness souvenir stands. Schaar will sign the poster at the Homestretch Gift Stand on the second floor of the grandstand on May 20 (1-3 p.m.) and May 21 (9-10:30 a.m.)."The approach to the finish line is the most exciting part of a horserace," said Schaar. "With the horses in full stride, the jockeys in their colorful silks striving for a win and the suspense as they cross the finish line, this is what I had in mind when painting it."
Raised in Arcadia, California near Santa Anita Park, where his father owned and raced Thoroughbreds, Schaar's knowledge and enjoyment of the sport is evident in the scenes he captures on canvas. "Thoroughbred racing has been a part of my life since I was a young boy," added Schaar. "It is an exciting, colorful sport and it has been a great pleasure to create a painting for the Preakness, the second jewel in the Triple Crown."Schaar has been a working as a full-time artist since the mid-1950's. His sporting art background includes: official artist of the 1992 U. S. Open Golf Championship in Pebble Beach, official artist for the California Cup II and III at Santa Anita, poster artist for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, and paintings for the University of Southern California National Championship teams in 2003 and 2004. During his illustrious career, he produced art for the Anaheim Angels, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angels Raiders. His work is in the permanent collections of the Kentucky Derby Museum.
