For the Preakness, infield fans will be able to bring in coolers and backpacks containing food. Coolers, which will be inspected, can be no larger than 28 inches long, 15 inches wide and 17 inches high. Other items permitted in the infield include lightweight plastic lawn chairs, beach blankets, sunscreen lotion, cell phones, cameras (up to 35 mm), camcorders and binoculars. Top-of-the-stretch seats, which are clustered near the starting line in the infield and cost $110, have a smaller limit on coolers.
While the new beer policy could affect attendance in the infield, any negative effect on wagering for Preakness Day is likely to be minimal. Although infield spectators make up about half of the total attendance, the betting from infield patrons amounts to only 5 percent of the total wagered at Pimlico on Preakness Day.
The hope among Jockey Club officials is that the change in the character of the infield will attract more people in their late 20s and early 30s and that some of those new attendees might become loyal fans. Still, there are those who lament the loss of the Preakness' freewheeling days.
Dan Mox, 42, of Pasadena was attending the races at Laurel Park yesterday and said the new beer policy would reduce fighting and make the Preakness a safer event. But then he turned nostalgic.
"I used to go religiously," he said. "We used to drag our beer in coolers. I always remember the Preakness as being open about that kind of stuff. It's tradition. I prefer the old way."
Baltimore Sun reporter Patrick Gutierrez contributed to this article.
online
See video from the announcement at baltimoresun.com/sports
PREAKNESS BANDS
This year's Preakness Day celebration features performances by two rock bands - one classic and another contemporary. A local opener will be added to the lineup in the coming weeks.
ZZ Top
This classic rock trio from Texas released a string of hits in the 1970s and '80s, including "La Grange," "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. After nearly 40 years of playing together, the band is still going strong, and singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons and singer/bassist Dusty Hill still sport their trademark long beards and sunglasses.
Buckcherry
A Grammy-nominated hard rock group based in Los Angeles, Buckcherry is known for its 2006 album 15. The band split up in 2002, reformed three years later and released 15, which went platinum soon after. Black Butterfly, the band's most recent album, came out late last year.
