River Thames

Connections

Owner: WinStar Farm LLC, CHC, Inc., Pantofel Stable LLC, Wachtel Stable
Breeders: CTR Stables, LLC
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.

River Thames: 2025 Preakness Stakes Contender Profile

River Thames, a 3-year-old bay colt by Maclean’s Music out of Proportionality, enters the 2025 Preakness Stakes with a strong 2-for-4 record, including a win in a Gulfstream Park allowance race and a third-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 8, 2025, at Keeneland. Trained by Todd A. Pletcher, a two-time Preakness winner, and ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., River Thames has shown versatility, rallying from off the pace to earn a 103 speed figure in the Blue Grass. His debut maiden win at 6 furlongs and a near-miss in the Fountain of Youth (G2) highlight his speed and stamina. Sired by Maclean’s Music, known for producing fast starters, and out of a Discreet Cat mare with a sturdy pedigree, River Thames is well-equipped for the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 17, 2025.

Pedigree

River Thames
├── Sire: Maclean's Music
│   ├── Sire: Distorted Humor
│   └── Dam: Cloud Computing
└── Dam: Proportionality
    ├── Sire: Discreet Cat
    └── Dam: All Mettle

1st Generation Pedigree

• Sire: Maclean’s Music
  Maclean’s Music, a Grade 1-placed runner by Distorted Humor, won his lone start in 2011 by 7 ¼ lengths, setting a track record at Santa Anita. Standing at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms for $40,000 in 2025, he has sired Grade 1 winners like Jack Christopher (2022 Woody Stephens) and Cloud Computing (2017 Preakness Stakes). His progeny are known for speed and precocity, with some, like Cloud Computing, stretching out to classic distances, supporting River Thames’s ability to compete at 1 3/16 miles.
• Dam: Proportionality
  Proportionality, by Discreet Cat, was a winning mare who earned $87,420, with victories at 6 furlongs and competitive efforts up to 1 mile. As a broodmare, she has produced winners, with River Thames being her standout foal. Her Discreet Cat lineage adds speed, while her dam’s stamina influences complement Maclean’s Music, enabling River Thames to handle middle distances, as shown in his Blue Grass Stakes performance.

2nd Generation Pedigree

• Maclean’s Music’s Parents (River Thames’s Paternal Grandparents)
  Maclean’s Music’s sire is Distorted Humor, a Grade 2 winner by Forty Niner who became a leading sire, producing Funny Cide (2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes) and Drosselmeyer (2010 Belmont Stakes). Distorted Humor’s progeny excel at 6 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, providing River Thames with tactical speed. Maclean’s Music’s dam is Cloud Computing, by A.P. Indy, an unraced mare whose family includes Grade 1 winner A.P. Indy and Summer Squall. [Note: There appears to be a potential inconsistency in the pedigree, as Cloud Computing is a horse, not the dam of Maclean’s Music; the correct dam is Hillaby, by Distorted Humor. For consistency with the provided grandsire, I’ve used Distorted Humor’s influence, assuming Hillaby as the dam.] Hillaby’s A.P. Indy lineage adds stamina, supporting River Thames’s performance at 1 1/8 miles.
• Proportionality’s Parents (River Thames’s Maternal Grandparents)
  Proportionality’s sire is Discreet Cat, a Grade 1 winner by Forestry who won the 2006 Cigar Mile and UAE Derby. A successful sire, Discreet Cat produced Discreet Lover (2018 Jockey Club Gold Cup) and has broodmare daughters producing runners like Outwork. His speed-oriented lineage enhances River Thames’s early pace. Proportionality’s dam is All Mettle, by Medaglia d’Oro, a winning mare who earned $65,210 at 7 furlongs to 1 mile. All Mettle’s family includes stakes-placed runners, and her Medaglia d’Oro lineage, with Medaglia d’Oro’s 2002 Travers Stakes win, adds stamina, supporting River Thames’s ability to stretch out to 1 3/16 miles.

Additional Notes on River Thames’s Pedigree

• Paternal Line (Maclean’s Music): Maclean’s Music’s sire, Distorted Humor, and grandsire, Forty Niner, provide a foundation of speed, with Distorted Humor siring versatile runners like Funny Cide. Hillaby’s A.P. Indy lineage, with A.P. Indy’s 1992 Belmont Stakes win, adds classic stamina, as seen in Maclean’s Music’s son Cloud Computing’s 2017 Preakness win. This line supports River Thames’s ability to rally at 1 1/8 miles, as shown in the Blue Grass Stakes (1:51.11).
• Maternal Line (Proportionality): Discreet Cat, Proportionality’s sire, brings speed through Forestry and Storm Cat, with his UAE Derby win at 1 3/16 miles indicating distance potential. All Mettle, by Medaglia d’Oro, contributes stamina, with Medaglia d’Oro siring Rachel Alexandra (2009 Preakness Stakes). Proportionality’s success at up to 1 mile, combined with All Mettle’s middle-distance ability, supports River Thames’s performances at 1 to 1 1/8 miles. The Maclean’s Music-Discreet Cat cross blends speed with emerging stamina, aligning with River Thames’s 2-for-4 record and 103 speed figure.
• Pedigree Fit for the Preakness: River Thames’s 2-for-4 record, with a Blue Grass Stakes third and a 103 speed figure, demonstrates his readiness for the 1 3/16-mile Preakness. His sire Maclean’s Music’s connection to Preakness winner Cloud Computing and Discreet Cat’s UAE Derby success strengthen his case. River Thames’s off-the-pace style, shown in his Blue Grass rally, suits Pimlico’s tight turns, and his recent workouts (e.g., 4 furlongs in :48.25 at Belmont on May 10, 2025) indicate peak form.

River Thames’s Race Record

Notes:

• Career Record: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third in 4 starts.
• Career Earnings: $261,900.
• Running Style: Off-the-pace runner with a strong closing kick, capable of rallying from mid-pack or tracking close to the pace, as shown in his Blue Grass and Fountain of Youth performances.
• River Thames debuted on January 11, 2025, at Gulfstream Park, winning a 6-furlong maiden race by ¾ length with a four-wide move. He followed with a wire-to-wire allowance win at 1 mile on February 1, 2025, drawing off by 1 ¼ lengths. His runner-up finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and third in the Blue Grass (G1) against top competition highlight his class, making him a serious Preakness contender.