River Thames, Locked work together at Saratoga
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.- River Thames worked for the first time since his disappointing sixth-place finish in the Preakness and did so in pretty classy company. He trained alongside Grade 1 winner Locked immediately after the renovation break over the Oklahoma training track Thursday at Saratoga.
Breaking off at the half-mile pole, the pair completed the distance in 48.59 seconds over a track that seemed to have tightened up over the last couple of mornings, with River Thames asked a bit to keep pace with his older and more accomplished mate to the wire. The duo then remained pretty much on even terms galloping out a strong five panels in 1:01.34 before easing up after three-quarters around the turn in 1:14.17.
“I thought it was a good work for both,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Solid workout, galloped out well. First work back for River Thames. We’ve got a lot of options. We have to figure out which direction to go.”
River Thames entered the Preakness with high expectations, having been beaten just a neck by Kentucky Derby and ultimate Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth this winter at Gulfstream Park. He also finished third, less than a length behind Burnham Square, in the Grade 2 Blue Grass before being held out of the Derby to away the Preakness five weeks later.
“I think he’s better than what we saw [in the Preakness],” said Pletcher. “Except for the Preakness, his form looks pretty darn good. We’ll just try to find a softer spot.”
Pletcher mentioned races like the Ohio Derby and Indiana Derby as potential choices for River Thames’s next start early this summer.
Meanwhile Locked is coming off a disappointing performance of his own, a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs. That setback came after finishing second behind White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and dominating the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap to launch his 2025 campaign. He continues to point to the Grade 2 Suburban going one mile and one quarter here on July 4.
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