River Thames to skip Kentucky Derby, point to Preakness
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River Thames, most recently third in the Blue Grass Stakes, will bypass the Kentucky Derby and point to the Preakness on May 17, Elliott Walden, president of WinStar Farm, which co-owns the colt, said Tuesday.
Walden said the fact River Thames, trained by Todd Pletcher, has had four runs since Jan. 11, played a part in the decision to wait an additional two weeks for the Preakness. River Thames, a New York-bred son of Maclean’s Music, won his first two starts before getting beat a neck by Sovereignty in the Fountain of Youth and three-quarters of a length by Burnham Square in the Blue Grass on April 8.
“Just felt like he would benefit from a little bit of extra time and would be live in the Preakness,” said Walden, whose WinStar Farm co-owns River Thames with China Horse Club, Adam Wachtel, and Pantofel Stable. “It seems like the right thing to do.”
WinStar and China Horse Club will still have a runner in the Kentucky Derby in Florida Derby winner Tappan Street. Pletcher will still be represented in the Kentucky Derby by Wood Memorial runner-up Grande.
River Thames will ship back from Kentucky to Belmont Park to continue his preparations for the Preakness, Pletcher said.