River Thames, recently third behind Burnham Square and East Avenue in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, will bypass the Kentucky Derby, according to a report in the Daily Racing Form.

Instead, the three-year-old Maclean’s Music colt will await the May 17 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

That decision perhaps adds luster to the Middle Jewel, already the seeming target of the top pair from the Lexington Stakes April 12. Gosger, the winner of that race, and runner-up Bracket Buster both are eyeing the Preakness, their trainers said after the Lexington.

River Thames, trained by Todd Pletcher for a bulky partnership headed by WinStar Farm LLC, has won two of four career starts, earning $261,900. A $200,000 purchase as a yearling, he won his first two starts in January and February of this year.

He then was a good second, a neck behind Sovereignty but ahead of Burnam Square and others, in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. In the Blue Grass, he gave another solid account of himself, finishing less than a length behind the winner while third.

Those two outings have garnered him 50 Kentucky Derby points, which would put him in the mix were his connections so inclined. His defection opens up a spot for Built (45 points) if his connections want, or Neoequos (40 points) if they don’t.