Breeders’ Cup unveils Mattos’ official poster art for Championships

Official BC Poster (Courtesy of Breeders’ Cup)

The Breeders’ Cup
on Thursday announced that multi-award winning
illustrator John Mattos has been named the official artist for the 2014
Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

The Mattos collection features two brilliant
art deco images celebrating the 31st running of the event at
Santa Anita Park in
Arcadia, California, on October 31-November 1. The Breeders’ Cup, consisting of 13 races
with purses and awards totaling $26
million, will be
televised live by the NBC Sports Group, with the $5 million Breeders’ Cup
Classic shown live and in primetime on NBC.

In his second year as the official artist of the Breeders’
Cup, Mattos has evoked his retro-inspired style to capture
the Art Deco setting of Santa Anita. The first image, which is the 2014
official poster, consists of a monumental Thoroughbred and rider seemingly
etched into the San Gabriel Mountains. Below the towering symbol, an elegant
crowd watches as the best Thoroughbreds in the world race toward a place in
prestigious racing history.

The second image depicts a flamboyant female wearing a
fascinator showcasing a montage of the racetrack, and is complimented by her
trendy aviator sunglasses which reflect the day’s racing action. Both images will appear on the Friday and Saturday official racetrack
programs and on all event tickets to Santa Anita.

“John’s portrayal of this year’s event captures the
elegance, style and excitement of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park,” said
Peter Rotondo, Breeders’ Cup vice president of media and entertainment. “We are
honored and delighted once again to display his images as part this year’s
festivities, and to provide fans an opportunity to take home some treasured
memories of their 2014 experience.”

Official BC Friday Poster (Courtesy of Breeders’ Cup)

Since his 2013 Breeders’ Cup debut, Mattos has lent his
distinctive style to a number of high profile projects both in the United States and
abroad. His work has recently been featured on two United States Postal Service
“Forever” stamps depicting classic hot rods. Showcased are two 1932
Ford “Deuce” roadsters, the fast, powerful vehicles that thrill-seeking
enthusiasts have been modifying for nearly a century.

Mattos fans
can watch his appearance on “Jay Leno’s Garage” to
learn about the USPS commission. Bruce Meyer, a consummate Los Angeles-based hot rod
historian and owner of one of the quintessential cars, discusses the
history along with Leno in the fascinating video.

Concurrent with the unveiling of the official art of the
2014 Breeders’ Cup is the eminent debut of a year-long Mattos installation at one of London’s hottest new hotels in Brown Hart
Gardens, Mayfair. The Beaumont Hotel is located moments from Selfridges and Bond
Street, and is slotted to become a must see for Londoners and travelers alike.
The work of famed British sculptor, Antony Gormley has provided a controversial
facade element to the building, the interior of which is a $2,500 per night
hotel suite. Mattos’ work is prominently featured in the fashionable restaurant
called the “Colony Room.”

Named for various American “colonies” (cities), Mattos’
images depict sporting events that reached their heyday in the 1930s in those
particular towns. The series is titled, “American Geography Told Through Sport,”
and will be pivotal design elements in the Beaumont’s American themed bar. Mattos’
12 sporting scenes will be stretched like fine art installations,
varying in size from 6′ to 12′ wide. American sporting themes such as spring
board diving, greyhound racing, polo, and airplane races are but a few of the
vintage themes.