Author: Saratoga TODAY

For openers, this year’s Kentucky Derby will be different from past Derbies. This Derby will prohibit use of race-day medications, a decision not without some controversy.  How some runners react to racing 10- furlongs for the first time without medication is a new known unknown for fans and bettors. The industry’s goal, however, is to ban the use of race day medications by 2022.

A full field of 20 will again meet the starter. Contention begins with prep race winners and moves to “sneaky good” non-winners. Note, however, that the public’s “live” odds board continues to be a most reliable predictor of both contention and results. The winner will most likely emerge from among the public’s first 7-8 betting choices. 

Post positions and morning line odds in ascending order:

14) Essential Quality 2-1
15) Rock Your World 5-1
  1) Known Agenda 6-1
  9) Hot Rod Charlie 6-1
17) Highly Motivated 10-1
  8) Medina Spirit 15-1
  7) Mandaloun 15-1
  6) O Besos 20-1
11) Dynamic One 20-1
16) King Fury 20-1
10) Midnight Bourbon 20-1
19) Soup and Sandwich 30-1
18) Super Stock 30-1
20) Bourbonic 30-1
  2) Like the King 50-1
  3) Brooklyn Strong 50-1
  4) Keepmeinmind 50-1
  5) Sainthood 50-1
12) Helium 50-1
13) Hidden Stash 50-1

Line favorite (14) Essential Quality is talented but was all out in the Blue Grass chasing the length of the stretch to win over a tiring rival. For me, that is also a knock against the one he beat (17) Highly Motivated.  (16) Rock Your World easily defeated (8) Medina Spirit in the Santa Anita Derby, pressed by that rival before spurting clear. Florida Derby winner (1) Known Agenda is talented, but a one-paced grinder possibly hampered breaking inside and forced to race in and among rivals throughout. Louisiana Derby winner (9) Hot Rod Charlie is well posted to use his natural speed and tactical ability to secure good position and clear running. His win in the one mile and three-sixteenths Louisiana Derby was impressive. (8) Medina Spirit will be supported because of trainer Bob Baffert and jockey John Velazquez. This colt does not, however, have near the talent of Baffert’s recent Derby and Triple Crown Winners. (7) Mandaloun‘s defeat in the Louisiana Derby might be a sign he has peaked. (6) O Besos closed powerfully from the rear in that Louisiana Derby, and a repeat puts him in the mix. (11) Dynamic One, also trained by Pletcher, did everything but win the Wood Memorial when jockey Jose Ortiz did not see closing winner (20) Bourbonic rallying to his outside. 

So, I have knocks against the 1st and 5th morning linemakers choices. That leaves me with (9) Hot Rod Charlie, (16) Rock Your World, (11) Dynamic One, (6) O Besos, and (1) Known Agenda as my “key” horses, with questions surrounding both (8) Medina Spirit and (7) Mandaloun.

Statistics support the winner emerging from the first 7-8 public betting choices. Start with Morning Line odds. Then follow “live” odds, which will not change much from start to finish. Stick with the first 7-8 choices and you will most likely find the winner. But stats are predictors, not determiners. And Derby winners Victory Gallup, Thunder Gulch, Giacomo and Mine That Bird were among the longest odds when they won their Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby Fun Facts

147^th running at Churchill Downs Racetrack Louisville, KY

30K – Number of attendees expected for the 2021 Kentucky Derby (half capacity due to COVID-19). Plenty will also view from home; 8.3M people watched the race on TV last year.

$126M – Total amount wagered on the 2020 Kentucky Derby (50% less than in 2019).

$805M – Sales of thoroughbred horses in 2020
(down 26% from 2019).

$3M – Kentucky Derby purse guaranteed by Churchill Downs Racetrack

$200K – Estimated value of the
Kentucky Derby Trophy

$350K – 2018 auction price of 2020 Kentucky Derby champ, Authentic

$1.86M – The winner’s share in 2021

$1.2M – Won on a $18 bet on a series of races in 2018 (second largest in Derby history!)

90% – Of female attendees wear a hat to the Kentucky Derby. High-end Derby hats cost $500-1,000 and can take up to 7 days to make. The most expensive Derby hat cost $3M!

120K – Mint Juleps are served during the Kentucky Derby weekend.

$3.4B – Horse racingís economic impact on Kentucky

$2.7M – Raised for charity by the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation since 2005

1875 – Year of the first Kentucky Derby making it the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the U.S.

400+ – Red roses are used to create the winner blankets; a tradition since 1896

1:59:40 – The fastest finish time in Kentucky Derby history by Secretariat in 1973

15 – Age of the youngest jockeys to win the Derby: Alonzo Clayton (1892) and James Perkins (1895). The oldest winning jockey was age 54: Bill Shoemaker (1986).

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Hospital has been named one of “The World’s Best Hospitals 2021” by Newsweek—a distinction earned by just six hospitals in the state. Other “World’s Best” facilities in New York are The Mount Sinai Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian, and NYU Langone Hospitals, all in New York City; North Shore University Hospital on Long Island and Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

“The 2,000 hospitals named in this list—which covers 25 countries, including United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada —stand out for their consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top-notch nursing care and state-of-the-art technology,” writes Nancy Cooper, Global Editor-in-Chief for Newsweek, whose rankings appear in the magazines April 27,2021 edition. 

Saratoga Hospital ranks number 162 on the list and is the only community hospital in the state to make the list. 

“We are in great company, and it’s all because of our amazing team,” said Angelo Calbone, Saratoga Hospital president and CEO, in a statement. “Regardless of their role or department, our team members put patient care and satisfaction above all else. That’s what it means to be part of Saratoga Hospital, and the results are obvious—in the excellent care we provide, our investments in technology, and our emphasis on kindness and customer service with our patients, visitors and each other.”

The Newsweek ranking lists the best hospitals based on three data sources: recommendations from medical experts, results from patient surveys and medical key performance indicators for hospitals.

Saratoga Hospital was the first in the Capital Region to be awarded Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and has maintained Magnet status since 2004. The hospital also is a U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Hospital for 2020-2021. Last year, Saratoga Hospital received international attention for its research and success in demonstrating that community hospitals could use pooled testing for COVID-19 to save time, preserve scarce resources and improve safety for patients and staff.

For the full Newsweek rankings visit The World’s Best Hospitals 2021 at www.newsweek.com/best-hospitals-2021/united-states. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Approximately 120,000 Saratoga County residents – just over half the total county population – have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and of those more than 91,000 have completed the vaccine series. 

Those numbers match similarly to the percent of the vaccinated population in neighboring Albany, Schenectady, and Warren counties. Under that 50% threshold: about 47% of Rensselaer County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and about 38% in Washington County have done so, as of April 28.   

“We’ve reached the point locally where our (vaccine) supply is appearing to be greater than the demand. We’ve had some openings and that hasn’t happened in a long time,” said Saratoga Springs Supervisor Tara Gaston, who is also chair of the Saratoga County Health Committee. 

 “What we’re looking at now is: Where is the population that wants the vaccine, but hasn’t been able to access it – and what are the barriers? We’ve started working on some things – farm workers, migrant workers, groups like food pantry workers and those who just don’t have the time to find a spot and then arrange to go there twice,” Gaston said. 

“We’re also looking at whether a business or a certain community needs it, where are there 50 or 100 people.  We’ve done the stats from around the county and I’m working directly with the supervisors in those zip codes with the lowest rates. Do we need a POD (Point of Dispensing) in your town? Why aren’t people getting vaccinated and what can we do to get there?”

The CDC issued new mask guidelines on April 27, easing restrictions for people who are vaccinated. The CDC considers people fully vaccinated as two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. 

Following a thorough safety review, the CDC on April 23 determined that a recommended pause regarding the use of the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume. The pause was recommended April 13 after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of that specific vaccine.

In the case of COVID-19 infections, the greater Capital Region, as well as Saratoga County specifically, remain under 2% over a 7-day average of those tested. That infection rate peaked at about 10% in early January. 

Currently those aged 16 and over are eligible for a vaccine. Pfizer has asked for authorization for 12-to 15-year-olds, which may be an opportunity for a mass vaccination site, such as the City Center, which officials in the county had considered as a potential site, but which has yet to be used in that purpose. “That might be an opportunity for a mass site because obviously as many school kids as we can get vaccinated prior to the fall, the safer our schools are going to be,” Gaston said. 

Earlier this month, the Saratoga Springs School District announced a temporary pause of in-person instruction at the high school due to an increase in the number of positive reported COVID-19 cases. A total of 90 positive COVID-19 cases were reported at the high school in the 7-month period between Sept. 8 and April 13. By comparison, 26 positive COVID-19 cases were reported at the high school in the two- week period from April 14 to April 27. The majority of the positive case results were in mid-month, with only 3 of the 26 from April 21-27. 

To find available vaccine appointments at state-run websites go to: am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov. To find available vaccine appointment at other sites, go to: vaccinefinder.org. 

After meeting the fully vaccinated criteria, New York residents may sign up for digital proof of their being fully vaccinated via the New York State Excelsior Pass. For more information about the Excelsior Pass, see Saratoga Today’s story last week at: saratogatodaynewspaper.com/home/item/13457-summer-outlook-a-safe-reopening-states-debate-venues-post-protocols. 

At its meeting on April 28 the county Health and Human Services Department announced it had used nearly all $1 million authorized in March 2020 by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors to be directed to battling the spread of COVID-19. The current funds remaining – approximately $15,000 – are expected to cover expenses into May. The department estimated an additional $600,000 will be needed to cover new costs through July. Those funds may come via a county transfer. About $500,000 in reclaimable costs that were spent have been sent to FEMA and other entities for reimbursement, but there is no indication when that funding may potentially come. The department also announced it will not seek, at this time, to renew a $2,000 per-week contract with the Saratoga Springs City Center that was in effect in the possibility the center would be used as a mass vaccination site. The contract expires April 30.