If you weren't a horse racing fan you would never know the Kentucky Derby is this Saturday. We keep our eye on the prep races and look forward to the first Saturday in May from day one--somewhere around the late 2007 futurities to the first 2008 preps in January. And when the Derby finally comes up as the next big race on the calendar it's very exciting. This is the day history is made as we cheer our heroes to victory on what will be the greatest day of their lives... so far. The Derby is just the beginning of the next chapter in our hero's saga as they take on the ultimate and impossible quest for the Triple Crown. Isn't that at least worth a picture on a large Mountain Dew?

Yum Brands sponsors the Kentucky Derby. You will see ads for KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and whatever the heck else they own during the Kentucky Derby TV program on Saturday. You like the Derby? You'll like the Kentucky Colonel's fried chicken too. Actually, I do--extra crispy. But Yum should really get involved with the Derby and promote the race to it's restaurant customers. At least have some Derby posters in KFC. It wouldn't be out of place, it's Kentucky Fried Chicken! Print some Derby winners, Derby history, and this year's prospects on all the cups. Maybe a logo, kentuckyderby.com link, and TV program time on a bucket. Put a jockey cap and goggles on Colonel Sanders. Why not? It would make more sense than when they have the song "Sweet Home Alabama" in their commercials.

Right now Pizza Hut should have a pizza shaped like a race track, and you could race horse-shaped pepperoni around it. I was going to say I was joking about that, but in reality if anything I like--pizza in this case--has something to do with horse racing I will definately buy it. How about a Kentucky Derby themed drive-through at Taco Bell. That way when they forget to give you half of your order every time, you'll feel like a winner the second time you get around to the window. Wow, you just went two turns at Taco Bell Downs in under ten minutes! Handled the asphalt surface beautifully. Lugged in a little at the menu board though.

I haven't been watching NBC, so I don't know how the Derby promo coverage is going this year, but I doubt it's improved. Last year I maybe saw one ad in prime time on Thursday or Friday night. I really doubt that though. I did regularly see an ad during their late night poker program that week, but they were not promoting the contenders. They were promoting the Queen of England's visit to the Derby. That was probably the dumbest promo I ever saw for anything. Who the hell watches a sports event or any TV show just to see the Queen of England sitting in the audience? What kind of moron came up with that idea? We had very exciting horses last year and something great was going to happen in the race--for the winner, the trainer, the jockey, and horse racing fans. The Queen didn't even make a pick! C'mon, Liz, give us a price. 

It's not even that they don't do enough--they just don't do a good job, and they have tremendous resources. That's part of why I came up with the Derby viral videos a few years ago. I wish I still had as much time to create that kind of stuff these days, but most of my creative time in the past year has been spent working on developing a site for horse racing fans, which this year ultimately brings us together here at horseracingfans.net.

I don't have tremendous resources, but I keep working at it in doing my part to help promote the sport and support the horse racing fanbase I am a part of. In the end it's up to us, the horse racing fans. Remember the Vitamin Water Superbowl ads featuring Shaquille O'Neill riding in a horse race? The guy behind that ad is a horse racing fan.

The Kentucky Derby is a thrill ride, sell it.

Tags: Kentuckyderby 2008

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