This Art Craft cacheted First Day Cover features the 10¢ Horse Racing stamp issued May 4, 1974, in Louisville, Kentucky. The cover commemorates the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, with the postmark and cachet artwork tying the stamp directly to its subject.
The Kentucky Derby, first run in 1875, is America’s oldest continuously held major sporting event and the opening leg of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. By 1974 the race had become a national institution, drawing widespread attention each May and symbolizing both sporting excellence and Kentucky heritage.
The cachet illustrates Churchill Downs with its distinctive twin spires and depicts a field of horses leaving the starting gate, while the stamp itself shows a dramatic color illustration of a race in progress. The cover is addressed to Dr. Charles R. Martin in Jacksonville, North Carolina, a common practice among mid-century collectors who requested FDCs by mail.
A strong addition for collectors of horse racing, sports, or Kentucky topicals, this well-preserved 1974 FDC offers clear postmarks, attractive cachet artwork, and direct historical linkage to the centennial Derby.
