To commemorate this year’s Kentucky Derby, I found one of the cooler ticket design’s from the event’s long and illustrious history. This unused ticket comes from the 94th running, held on May 4, 1968. Churchill Downs is here in silhouette, of course, but even more prominent is a lovely mint julep.
The ’68 Derby was rather controversial as it turns out. Dancer’s Image won the race, but was later disqualified after traces of phenylbutazone were discovered in the mandatory post-race urinalysis. Second-place finisher Forward Pass was declared the winner after a four-year legal battle. As of 2016, Dancer’s Image is the only winner in the history of the Kentucky Derby to be disqualified.
