USATSI
The Preakness Stakes is one of the few major races that Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has never won. To be fair, he has started just 10 horses in the race, and only two -- Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017 -- were favorites. But this year the 57-year-old trainer has a major contender in the lightly raced River Thames.
6 River Thames (9-2)Trainer Todd PletcherJockey Irad Ortiz Jr.Last race 3rd in the Blue Grass Stakes by 3/4 lengthCareer record 4 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 thirdCareer earnings $261,900Best career Beyer Speed Figure 95 (2025 Fountain of Youth Stakes)Sire Maclean's Music
Below, we'll dig further into River Thames as part of our series profiling all the horses competing in the 150th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 17. We'll look back into his past performances, what questions need to be answered on Saturday and analyze how the post draw affects his chances.
Preakness Stakes profiles 1 Goal Oriented | 2 Journalism | 3 American Promise | 4 Heart of Honor | 5 Pay Billy | 6 River Thames | 7 Sandman | 8 Clever Again | 9 Gosger
Preakness Stakes picks Michelle Yu | Gene Menez | Jody Demling
What to know about River Thames
This has been a rather forgettable Triple Crown season for trainer Todd Pletcher -- so far. Usually armed with a herd of horses for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the Hall of Fame trainer was a bit player during the spring. He did have two horses who earned enough points to run for the roses. The first was Wood Memorial runner-up Grande, who had to scratch from the Derby, and the second was River Thames.
A son of Maclean's Music, River Thames didn't make his debut until January but did so in flashy fashion, winning by almost five lengths and earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. He won his next start by 6½ lengths.
His third outing came in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. In that race he turned home with the lead but was nailed at the wire by eventual Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty. Though the result was a loss, River Thames did not lose anything in defeat.
In his last start, the Blue Grass Stakes, River Thames looked poised at the top of the stretch but couldn't hold off the late-running Burnham Square and couldn't get past the tiring East Avenue.
After that race the connections decided to bypass the Kentucky Derby and point to the Preakness, a move that has worked well recently. Horses who didn't run in the Derby have won the last five runnings of the Preakness.
The seven weeks' rest should help River Thames, who hasn't had this much time off since starting his racing career. But the added distance is another matter. Sons and daughters of his sire, Maclean's Music, win more sprinting on the dirt than routing on it, and distance limitations may have contributed to his inability to pass East Avenue in the Blue Grass.
Based on the company River Thames has been keeping, he certainly fits in this field. This talented colt has the ability to win a big race one day, and, with a little help, maybe Saturday is that day.
Post draw analysis
After drawing the rail in the Blue Grass Stakes, River Thames drew perfectly for the Preakness, in the No. 6 hole. From there he is projected to get a nice stalking trip right behind the speed horses and get the jump on Journalism. He's the third choice in the odds at FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires and 1/ST BET at 9-2, but there's a chance that his price drifts up as Journalism's price goes down.