The Triple Crown: Three sheets to the wind?

Coming from the Old Line State* (that's Maryland for those of you that don't know), I occasionally pay attention to horse racing and, specifically, the Triple Crown. Maryland hosts the middle race -- the Preakness -- that follows the Kentucky Derby and precedes the Belmont Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby is a classy gathering at Churchill Downs. This year, it even attracted the Queen of England (and apparently, Angie Harmon?). The Queen, mint juleps and big hats: it reeks of class.



The Free State* (still talking about Maryland here) is not to be outdone. From this year's Preakness:



The drunks, cans of Coors Light, and portable shitters: it reeks of, well, spilled beer and urine. Eat that Kentucky!

* The great state of Maryland has two nicknames, the Old Line State and the Free State, both of which seems to come from the Civil War Period. For example, the Maryland border formed much of the Mason-Dixon Line, marking off the Confederacy from the Union. It was Maryland's northern border unfortunately. And, based on that line placement, you can probably guess that Maryland wasn't a "free" state back then. Nope.

Old Line State was a name given to it by George Washington during the Revolution. A war, just the wrong war. The Free State was a name given to it during prohibition because it refused to pass enforcement laws which would have led the arrest of sellers and drinkers of booze. Thus, the Preakness video above.