If Pegasus sprang forth from the Hippocrene fountain on Mount Helicon, then I’d guess that “Kegasus” flopped out of a spray of flat Budweiser in a place I’d rather never visit.
Yes, Kegasus. Kegasus the Centaur (let’s not get too deep into Greek myths and what centaurs did to women and the fact that they aren’t Pegasus and don’t have wings). USA Today reports,
The 2010 Preakness ad campaign urged young fans to “Get Your Preak On.” This year, the second leg of racing’s Triple Crown has a half-horse, half-man named Kegasus leading the charge.
With its new campaign, Pimlico Race Course is hoping to draw fans back after a big dropoff the past two years for the Preakness Stakes. Last year’s campaign was dubbed ‘Get Your Preak On.’
Kegasus, ‘Lord of the InfieldFest,’ is the lead horse (half-horse) for a marketing campaign that will include radio and TV spots. Think of the centaur of Greek mythology, except that this ‘party manimal’ has a beer belly instead of a six-pack.
Says the song in a radio spot:
‘Half-horse, half-man, with beer in hand, he strolls the InfieldFest. He’s bold, he rocks, he’s hot to trot, for girls with beautiful …’
Now, I’ve done the infield at Epsom on Derby Day plenty of times, so I’m no snob or prude, but this also includes a “bikini contest”. The actor playing Kegasus comments: “I suggest a pair of mirrored shades to deflect the harmful glare of a jealous girl friend so you can check out the fillies.”
Oh, and:
In previous years, the infield had become known for the ‘running of the urinals,’ young men running along the tops of portable toilet while fans tossed beer cans at them. Infamously in 1999, an infield fan ran onto the track during a preliminary race and attempted to slug two horses as they raced by.
Lovely. Personally I’d rather stay home, watch it on TV and have a nice relaxing massage.
