The redneck centaur looks like something from a David Spade movie ("Joe Dirt"). Maybe that was funny to the artist, but surely there is some other image (perhaps female) that could symbolize the revelry of the Preakness infield and be used for the marketing campaign for Pimlico.
Like the babe who won the bikini contest last year....

Wait a second. There's horse racing at the preakness?

Actually looks like they operated on Lieutetant Dan and gave him horse legs instead of those sea legs he told Forrest about....

If this is what the Preakness has become, let it die instead of becoming the world's biggest kegger. I saw Secretariat at Pimlico, my greatest sports thrill, and am sad that his arena of greatness has become such a pathetic, urine-soaked field of vomit.

embarrassing.

As a native Baltimorean, I probably shouldn't say this: I really don't care two hoots about horse racing or The Preakness. However, ...

If The Preakness is Baltimore's crown jewel event, and is going to continue to be Baltimore's crown jewel event, the infield nonsense and Kegasus is a black eye (not Susan) on the event and on the city.

I don't know who decides such things, but the Preakness needs more than an extra coat of paint on the cinder blocks of Pimlico and attendance numbers which signify nothing.

This city has so many vacant areas to build a track, it isn't even funny. It should build one specifically for this event. It should then market it in a way that draws out-of-towners -- not just the horse owners, but those who have deep pockets who like to go to premiere sporting events. Give the onslaught of downtown hotels something to fill their rooms over.

Meanwhile, the outside impression of this city is governed by The Wire and a mascot that's worth a sneering chuckle to outsiders. And put Kegasus at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium. There are plenty of size 54 bellies in size 38 trousers at that (ahem) event. (And then give Kegasus a politician's pension if anyone wants to clean up that eyesore.)

Afraid I'm on the Cowherd side of this argument, Pete. And evidently others agree. Note this guy's blog, makes a good argument:
http://www.examiner.com/public-relations-in-baltimore/can-t-beat-em-join-em

I lived in Tampa for the past 8 years and Baltimore's reputation is much improved. The Preakness is a drunkfest, so what. Believe it or not, people don't judge an entire area on one party, unless you're New Orleans.

The Preakness should be more about "Horse Racing". The Tampa Bay Derby is about the Horses and the Fan. The Preakness would do well to recognize that. There will always be partying in the infield. It's always an interesting ride home on the shuttle bus and the Baltimore Light Rail afterwards. It really is delightful conversation! =P. It’s far better then arguing with the “Crazy Lady” checking for the hand stamps at Tampa Bay Downs. What the folks involved in the marketing should do is allow more Horse Racing Fans to watch “Live” racing Trackside at Pimlico. You have to pay a “Princely” sum to do that. It isn’t right! For 25.00 you get to watch live racing inside the building on a piece of Junk TV or you can elbow your way to the window and catch a glimpse of the winning horse at the finish line and I do mean a glimpse. So unless that changes, I will never go to another Preakness. I would rather go to another track to place a bet, then drive home and watch the race of my TV and comfy sofa. As for Kegasus, that’s right up there with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Whatizit.

I didn't notice that kegasus was blowing his own horn the first time I saw the picture.

You know Pete, that has to inspired by reading Wayne here on the blog. 1/2 man, 1/2 horses rear end. And he likes to blow his own horn!

One correction for the Kegasus creature:
replace the mullet torso with the Bulldog
from navel to head. We need a centaur with a Steelers goatee for the Preakness.

Kegasus is hilarious. If you're like Kevin Cowherd and you don't 'get it,' chances are you're simply not the target audience: young, college-age people with a sense of humor who like to gather in large lively groups at an outdoor venue, enjoy live music, drink, spend money and have a good time. This ad campaign is aimed specifically at getting young people to InField Fest. Say what you will about its appropriateness: the ad campaign for InField Fest from last year was responsible for record ticket sales and higher overall revenue after years of declining revenue for the Preakness in general.

And by the way - the ad campaign for Preakness and for InField Fest are separate. Kegasus is not the spokesperson for the races.

I'm with you all the way Pete. I believe your demonstrating what is general refereed to as enlightenment.

I've been to the infield many times, including the much maligned "Get your Freak on" year. Yeap, there are stupid people that do stupid stuff. It's partially because of alcohol but mostly human nature. Can you really draw a crowd of 30,000 under 35 year olds and not expect a couple idiots? (For that matter, can you get Any group of 30,000 people to not have idiots?)

Duh, kids like to party. And double-duh, they have money to spend.

What's the PT Barnum quote I'm looking for...something about a fool and his money.

If it's not your type of fun, fair enough. How long did Cowherd spend in the infield? Or did he sit in the stands and "tisk-tisk" with the rest of the "I never did that when I was that age..." group?

Live a little. Enjoy life. And let others do as they see fit to do. I know, it's one thing to accept it, but another to promote it. But let's not forget that the vast majority of folks that will be attending aren't going to do anything but have a whole bunch of fun.

Let's talk about Woodstock for a second...more specifically, Romestock (Woodstock III).

I was there...and I question, where was that extra security presence?

When trying to escape the upside-down cars lit up like bonfire beacons, and then avoiding all of the hoodrats trying to take a life for those fly Air Jordans...bad news friends.

Lets hope the Preakness never hits that level of absurdity.

The Preakness is big enough to be a drunken bachannalia for the frat boys on the infield and a premier sporting event for those watching from the nice seats, or from their couch.

Let the "OMIGOD I'M SO DRUNK" crowd help generate the revenue to support the event. Those who want to appreciate the Preakness in a less blurry fashion don't have to mix it up on the infield.

I "get it." I get who the target audience is. I get kids like to party.

But if this is the ideal of the event that puts Baltimore on the map, no one should take on an inferiority complex when outsiders take a jab at us. We are willingly inferior. Personally, I'm embarrassed.

Let Kegasus be the mascot of a Maryland football game. The idea is rather clever for the right venue.

Right now, everything about the Preakness is an embarrassing spotlight on the city. Pimlico is a dump. Its mascot embraces an attitude that already plagues the city's reputation to the outside world on a much larger scale -- corruption and murder.

When The Preakness eventually moves out of town, I won't be mourning. And I bet the new ownership and new venue will do things more in line with the Kentucky Derby and Belmont. And draw national praises. And be more successful. And will enjoy a larger influx of out-of-town dollars.

Baltimore is widely considered to be a down-to-earth, blue collar kind of town. Trying to go Kentucky Derby elitist with the Preakness or an ad campaign wouldn't change that. And Baltimore's blue collar rep is nothing to be embarrassed about, either.

It's worth noting that the Preakness organizers do a great job of keeping the InField Fest very very separate from the other more upscale areas at the Preakness. Kinda like the Kegasus campaign is separate from the overall Preakness ad campaign.

And, for what it's worth, you'll find the same drunken idiotic antics in the parking lot at Camden Yards before/after just about any sporting event, concert, etc. At least the InField Fest doesn't take place in a parking lot.

This is an embarrassment to Baltimore. I went to the final Preakness. Let me just say that the tales of debauchery are greatly exaggerated (and I sit in the 'sh!t', as a Vietnam Vet may call it, between turns 3-4). Some people are animals, but its really not that bad for the most part. The beer ban was a poorly orchestrated cash grab that massively backfired on Chuckass.

I saw a few people get carried out by the cops, a few people bloodied up and a few urinal runners. That percentage of people I would venture to say, per capita, would rival that of a rowdy Saturday night in Fells Pt.

I laughed when no one showed to the first annual Chuckassness, yet the 'attendance' was 70k+. How they came up with that number, given that the grandstand holds 40k is beyond me. No one was there AT ALL. To say there was over 100k last year is insane as well. The infield was largely empty except for the concentration of people near the stage. Wonder where the media was on this one?

As Ton Loc would say, 'Somethin' ain't stirrin' the Kool Aid, Ace'.

1. Add more walking space.
2. Start a text line to rat out drunks like at Raven's games.
3. Zero Tolerance for passed out patrons. Pass out- get arrested. (figure out a way to allow napping though)
4. Limit to one case of beer per ticket holder. While this still sounds high, you limit people from wheeling in six 30 racks to fill an inflatable pool.
5. Eliminate space roping. Causes too many territorial fights.
6. More walk paths to thin out the masses.
7. More boots on the ground.

Huh! That's weird, Shamrock, I was there last year and the InField was wall-to-wall people. Are you sure you didn't go somewhere else?