Title: 1952 Kentucky Derby Grand Stand Mezzanine Ticket Stub - 78th Annual Churchill Downs Reserved Seating Pass - Hill Gail Victory - Vintage Horse Racing Memorabilia
Description:
Own an elite piece of Triple Crown history with this authentic, original 1952 Kentucky Derby reserved seating ticket stub from the historic 78th running of the world's most famous horse race, held on Saturday, May 3, 1952, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. This highly coveted artifact granted entry to the exclusive Grand Stand Mezzanine section on Derby Day. That afternoon, the legendary Calumet Farm colt Hill Gail, expertly ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro and trained by the iconic Ben A. Jones, dominated the field to win the run for the roses while matching the standing track record time. Featuring striking pink cardstock, bold green typography, and an intricate ornamental security background, this premium tier stub is an exceptional artifact for sports historians, horse racing enthusiasts, and elite ephemera collectors.
Product Specifications:
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Event: 78th Running of the Kentucky Derby (1952 Spring Meeting)
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Race Winner: Hill Gail (Owned by Calumet Farm)
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Date: Saturday, May 3, 1952 (Derby Day Only)
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Venue: Churchill Downs (Louisville, KY)
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Seating Tier: Grand Stand Mezzanine — Section 5, Row 2, Seat 25
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Original Pricing: $2.00 Est. Price + $7.00 Seat Premium + Taxes = $10.95 Total Admission
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Item Type: Genuine Vintage Reserved Seat Ticket Stub
Detailed Condition & Flaw Report:
This vintage racing artifact is explicitly sold as-is. please read the following structural details carefully before purchasing:
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Overall Condition: This 74-year-old paper ticket stub is in good Used Condition, showcasing brilliant color preservation, clear printed text fields, and excellent structural rigidity.
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Creases & Folds: The cardstock body sits remarkably flat. It avoids deep intersecting pocket folds or severe horizontal handling creases across the main text fields. A very soft, shallow diagonal handling wrinkle is present near the top-center edge, which is visible under close inspection but does not break the paper fibers or distract from the front graphics.
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Edges & Corners: The right-hand margin features a rough, hand-torn edge from where the gate admission check was separated by the Churchill Downs track attendant, showing typical vintage edge fraying and natural paper fibers along that perimeter. The top, bottom, and left edges are clean, uniform, and straight-cut. The four corners exhibit mild, age-appropriate softening and light storage rubbing but remain well-defined.
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Surface & Markings: The front face features a pinkish-tan decorative scrollwork background bordered by a dark red checkerboard frame. The primary typography text fields ("Derby Day") are printed in a bold, vibrant green ink that remains incredibly crisp. All seating numbers and pricing breakdowns ($10.95 total) are flawlessly legible. The front surface is exceptionally clean and entirely free from modern ballpoint ink signatures, pencil scoring marks, or heavy scuffs.
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Reverse Side: The back of the stub features a clean, clear layout detailing the Churchill Downs, Inc. legal terms and transfer restrictions printed by "The Arcus Ticket Co. Chicago" over an elegant circular scroll pattern. It bears the printed signature of track president Bill Cammack. The back surface shows superb preservation; it is entirely free of heavy scrapbook glue layers or extensive paper skinning, with only a small, faint spot of minor surface discoloration or handling age near the upper right-center.
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Photo Reminder: Please examine all high-resolution listing photos closely to verify the exact hand-torn edge, front color pop, and clean reverse side before finalizing your purchase.
Shipping & Store Logistics:
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Rigid Boxed Shipping: To prevent further bending, creasing, or edge damage during transit, this vintage ticket stub is enclosed in a protective sleeve, placed between heavy cardboard reinforcement panels, and shipped inside a rigid, crush-resistant shipping box.
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Combined Shipping: Purchasing multiple collectible items or pieces of vintage ephemera? Add them all to your shopping cart to receive bundled shipping rates automatically.
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Tracked Delivery: All orders are packed securely and shipped quickly with tracking numbers Sent directly to you Via Email.
