Ad draws fire from advocates of mentally ill

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- An ad being used by Oklahoma City's Remington Park racetrack is drawing the ire of advocates for the mentally ill. The cartoon-like ad depicts a group of wild-eyed, hair-pulling

Monday, January 31st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- An ad being used by Oklahoma City's Remington Park racetrack is drawing the ire of advocates for the mentally ill. The cartoon-like ad depicts a group of wild-eyed, hair-pulling spectators cheering on a wild-looking race horse with flaring nostrils.

The caption is "All the Lunacy of an Insane Asylum, Without Those Annoying White Jackets." But state advocates for the mentally ill find the ad offensive. And they're asking a marketing agency and Remington Park recall 150-thousand copies of a vacation guide containing the ad.

The ad was created by an advertising agency for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. It was chosen by Remington Park officials to promote the 2000 racing schedule. Advocate Carol Barfield says the ad shows an abhorrent lack of knowledge and sensitivity on behalf of mental illness.