Push-to-Pass tested in Kentucky Derby

I'm not sure how many of you saw the Kentucky Derby yesterday, but it turns out 50-to-1 winner, Mine That Bird, had some help.

Danica Patrick at Mid-Ohio and Snoroma in 2007 tested a new steering rack, basically a Power Steering substitute for the ICS Dallara's in race. This aid helped move her towards the front of the pack on those two road courses while she was usually qualifying mid-pack in 2007 on road and street courses.

For those of you who didn't see the race, the clip is provided below.



Well it turns out, now that the race is completed, Mine That Bird and jockey Calvin Borel were secretely testing out a new Push-to-Pass system for horse racing which provided them with the extra horsepower to pull off the upset.

Much like the Champ Car World Series used, and the IRL uses to a lesser extent and in a different manner, when pushed, the horse is able to use a bit of extra horsepower for about 10 to 15 seconds.

"It's basically like taking a Red Bull in the middle of a race for a horse, without the wings" said an anonymous trainer. "They wanted to make things a little more exciting, and well, I think this system needs a little refinement, but once it's all worked out, it will make horse racing a whole lot more exciting."

It is unclear at this point in time if the system will be implemented on all horses for the Blackberry Preakness Stakes or if it will continue to be worked on in a trial basis.

Over at ChampCarFanatics.com, CCWS loyalists are now claiming that Thoroughbred racing has stolen another one of it's ideas, the same way they believe every single element they had was stolen by another series or league somewhere in the world, much the way F1, and now the Indycar Series has copied the Optional Tires.

The IRL is also doing it's best to get Mine That Bird jockey Calvin Borel into Marty Roth's second entry at the Indianapolis 500 saying "If he can get a 50-1 underdog to win the Kentucky Derby, he should be able to help Marty Roth make the field."