Infield guests enjoying Preakness scene

The Preakness brought back its infield Mug Club for a second year. For $60 in advance and $70 during Preakness week, patrons got a ticket to the infield and a mug to be refilled with beer at no extra charge. Infield tickets alone cost $40 in advance and $50 during Preakness week.

"I was just down at the (Kentucky) Derby, and they were eight bucks a beer there. This is much more reasonable," said Ken Gibbard, 28, of Jackson, N.J., enjoying his second mug.

He came to the Preakness infield with Brian Thomas, 28, of Hamilton, N.J., and Martin Meadows, 37, of East Brunswick, N.J.

They said the beer lines moved quickly.

"We were shocked how easy it was. And it's not watered down. It feels really filling. I'm enjoying the beer," Meadows said while holding his 20-ounce plastic mug, up from 18-ounce mugs year.

The three were strolling toward the main stage in the infield, where Kegasus had just introduced the first big act of the day.

Kegasus, described in ads as half-man, half-horse and all "party manimal," is this year's symbolic leader of the InfieldFest. The campaign has been the target of criticism that it promotes excessive drinking. But the actor in the centaur costume who portrays him was cheered when he appeared on stage.

"Be legendary," said the long-haired (and long-tailed) Kegasus, repeating his signature line as "Lord of the InfieldFest."

He introduced the group Train, which was to be followed later by Bruno Mars.

"In the words of the legendary Johnny Cash, 'I hear that train a comin,' " Kegasus said from the stage.

Mug Club member Gibbard wasn't impressed with the Kegasus campaign.

"Stupidest thing I ever heard, absolutely the stupidest. I'm a horse racing fan and that just killed me," said Gibbard.

Said his friend Meadows: "I'm being exposed to horse racing for my first time, and I wasn't really into that kind of advertisement. … And just sort of that fantasy figure, I wasn't feeling it."

Anthony DeMarco, 34, another fan from Herndon, Va., said he paid $130 for a ticket that included a seat at the top of the stretch and access to the infield and the Mug club.

"Its been unbelievable, I recommend it to anybody. You have your own restrooms. You have your own mutuals (windows) to bet. There's food over there, and it's just nice," he said,

He said he didn't know much about Kegasus. When the centaur was described to him, he smiled.