About the artist:

Over the years, Reeves had been commissioned by top owners and breeders to paint portraits of their horses and his work was published in many books. The Blood-Horse published several of his works, including "Royal Blood, Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds" and most recently, "Belmont Park: A Century of Champions." Born in New York City, Reeves grew up in Garden City, close to Belmont Park, where he gained his love of horses as a young boy. His father, Matthew Sully Reeves, was a descendant of American portrait painter Thomas Sully, and his mother, Edna Simonson, owned Standardbreds. A graduate of Syracuse with a degree in Fine Arts, Reeves served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Following the war, he began painting, his portrait of 1947 Horse of the Year Armed appearing in Life magazine in April 1948. Commissions immediately followed and Reeves painted more international champions than any artist in history. While most of his paintings are in the hands of private collectors, more than a dozen are hanging in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The largest known collection of Reeves paintings is owned by the Aga Khan. "George Stubbs, a Briton was the 18th century's great painter of horses. In the 20th century it is Richard Stone Reeves, an American " - The New York Times "Richard Stone Reeves is by far the foremost painter of champion Thoroughbreds in the world today" - Fact & Comment, Forbes Magazine "The pre-eminent Thoroughbred portrait painter of our day ... where ever horses are prized, so too are the portraits of Richard Stone Reeves. " - Charles Kuralt, CBS News Nowhere in the annals of modem international Thoroughbred racing has one artist been in such demand as Richard Stone Reeves. He has been privately commissioned to portray more international champions than any artist in history. His work is valued by the most discerning of patrons, the owners and breeders of the world's greatest Thoroughbred champions. The attraction to Reeves lies not only in his accuracy, but also in the deep affection and affinity he feels for the Thoroughbred. For generations his work has remained the choice of prominent individuals throughout the world. H.H. Prince Aga Khan has commissioned Richard Stone Reeves to portray all of his internationally renowned champions since the legendary Shergar. President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan's official gift to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of their state visit to Windsor Castle in 1982 was a Reeves original.