Horse racing is full of tradition, from the playing of "My Old Kentucky Home" before the Derby to the Black-Eyed Susan blanket draped on the winner of the Preakness. But unfortunately, one of the more fan friendly traditions is now gone. Gone is not forgotten and we will always celebrate the Preakness Toilet Run as the Sport of King's greatest expression of the common man.
↵It's not clear when the Toilet Run at the Preakness began but it's not hard to figure out how it started. The infield at Pimlico was a BYOB affair and you mix in a bunch of young folk drinking down a few too many beers and then you add in a line of portable toilets and bam, toilet run.
↵It worked like this: Drink a lot of beer, climb on to the roof of the porta-potty, run across the roofs while people throw empty (or full) beer cans and try and knock your drunk ass down. Still confused? Watch this:
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It's hard to image why the organizers at Pimlico would have cracked down on this wholesome past time by banning fans from bringing their own beer to the infield. Sure, they can buy beer at $3.50 per pint, but it's just not the same when people are throwing plastic cups at you. Where's the honor in that?
↵No word yet if the Goldwater Institute will be attending the meeting with cupcakes or their flesh-eating fish friends.