Torrie Horse scultpures pop up around Del Mar, California

Updated 7:03 AM ET, Tue November 14, 2017

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Photos: The Torrie horse

Alte Vista – Walking around San Diego County these last couple of weeks, you may have noticed an usual trend popping up on the streets.

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To celebrate the Californian city being awarded the Breeders' Cup -- North America's premier thoroughbred event -- local artists were asked to paint 20 life-size horse statues, which were then distributed around San Diego.

Photos: The Torrie horse

Del Mar Dreamin' – To celebrate the Californian city being awarded the Breeders' Cup -- North America's premier thoroughbred event -- local artists were asked to paint 20 life-size horse statues, which were then distributed around San Diego.

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Photos: The Torrie horse

Juan Enrique – Made of fiberglass and standing at 7-feet high and 7-feet long, the statues are replicas of the horse atop the Breeders' Cup trophy.

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The horse on the trophy is itself a reproduction of the original 'Torrie horse' sculpture created in Florence by Giovanni da Bologna in the late 1850s.

Photos: The Torrie horse

American Flag – The horse on the trophy is itself a reproduction of the original 'Torrie horse' sculpture created in Florence by Giovanni da Bologna in the late 1850s.

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Some were distributed and placed in prominent areas of the city, while others were bought by establishments in the city -- all in the hope of generating interest in the Breeders' Cup.

Photos: The Torrie horse

Sea Horse – Some were distributed and placed in prominent areas of the city, while others were bought by establishments in the city -- all in the hope of generating interest in the Breeders' Cup.

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"It's shameless marketing, of course!" quips Joe Harper, Director, President and CEO of Del Mar Racetrack. "You can't drive around in North County without running into one of those horses."

Photos: The Torrie horse

Flower Power – "It's shameless marketing, of course!" quips Joe Harper, Director, President and CEO of Del Mar Racetrack. "You can't drive around in North County without running into one of those horses."

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Photos: The Torrie horse

"It's certainly made all the locals aware and gave a little flavor of Del Mar even to the people who don't usually come out here."

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Photos: The Torrie horse

Mare de la Mer – Some of the artists, Harper explains, had never been to a racetrack before, which led to some interesting designs!

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"They're not necessarily equine artists," he says. "They've just got a blank horse, a big white horse, and they can do what comes to their mind. Some have racetracks on them, some look like Trojan warhorses! It's kind of fun to get such a variety of different ideas from different artists."

Photos: The Torrie horse

Del Mar Sunset – "They're not necessarily equine artists," he says. "They've just got a blank horse, a big white horse, and they can do what comes to their mind. Some have racetracks on them, some look like Trojan warhorses! It's kind of fun to get such a variety of different ideas from different artists."

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Dubbed the 'Art of the Horse' project, the statues will be auctioned off now the Breeders' Cup is over with the proceeds going towards local community events and charities.

Photos: The Torrie horse

Armored Grace – Dubbed the 'Art of the Horse' project, the statues will be auctioned off now the Breeders' Cup is over with the proceeds going towards local community events and charities.

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