Ignac Konrad (France/Hungary, 1894 – 1969), "Sun Briar," oil on canvas painting depicting the champion thoroughbred racehorse in profile standing atop hay in a stall, against a mottled brown background with a green window upper right and watering bucket lower left. The name of the horse along with his lineage "by Sundridge" (father) and "Sweet Briar," lower left. The artist''s signature is lower right. The placard on the lower frame reads, "Sun Briar, at 14 years. Painted by Konrad 1929." Housed in a carved wood frame with corner embellishments with gilt and red painted surface. Sight: 18 1/4" H x 23 1/4" W. Framed: 23 1/2" H x 28 1/4" W.

Note: Sun Briar was foaled in France in 1915, but raced in the US and stood stud in Virginia at the farm of businessman Willis Sharpe Kilmer; he was trained by future Hall of Fame inductee, Henry McDaniel. Sun Briar was the son of Sundridge, the 1911 Champion Sire in Great Britain and Sweet Briar, the daughter of St. Frusquin, a leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a winner of multiple top-level races. In his championship two year old season, Sun Briar won 5 of his 9 starts and was named the 1917 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. In 1918 he set a North American record of 1:36 1/5 for one mile on dirt over an oval track while winning the Delaware Handicap. His subsequent record setting victories included breaking a Saratoga Race Course track record that had stood for 15 years (his time of 1:50 flat for a mile and a furlong stood for 37 years until 1956) and he was named the American Champion Older Male Horse of 1919. He retired from racing in 1919 and sired champions Sun Beau, Pompey, Sun Egret, and Firethorn.

PROVENANCE: By descent from John Clark of New York (b. 1891-d. 1974). Clark was a thoroughbred owner and President of the Hialeah Park Race Course; he was also president of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of the United States, treasurer of the New York Racing Association, a director at Belmont and Saratoga tracks, and a member of the Turf Committee of America. A detailed line of provenance is available to the winning bidder.

CONDITION: Painting with overall light craquelure. Some professional stabilization with gesso and re-touching to the horse''s body and the right edge. Old patch repair upper right, visible en verso. A small abrasion to the upper right quadrant. Frame with scattered minor abrasions and wear to finish.