The Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Thoroughbred Triple Crown, will take place on Saturday at Laurel Park in Maryland. Fourteen 3-year-olds will vie in the 1 3/16 miles race that carries a $2 million purse.
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is bypassing this race, which will be run at Laurel while Pimlico Race Course is rebuilt. Three horses that ran in the Run for the Roses will come back after two weeks and try to win the Preakness.
The betting is wide open. Any number of horses can win and the one that crosses the finish line first should pay a nice price even if favored.
One can start on the rail with the local horse, Taj Mahal. Maryland-based horses tend to be the hometown heroes and attract a lot of attention. This son of Nyquist is 3-for-3 lifetime and each race was at Laurel. In his most recent try, he romped in the Federico Tesio, a Preakness prep. Taj Mahal will received plenty of local support from Post 1.
#Preakness151 contender TAJ MAHAL galloping this morning at Laurel Park ahead of his graded stakes debut in the second leg of the Triple Crown!
The Nyquist colt is undefeated from three starts by a combined winning margin of 12 3/4 lengths including back-to-back stakes wins👀… pic.twitter.com/kNtXBEL7Wt
— Equibase (@Equibase) May 14, 2026
Next to him will be a maiden. Yes, Ocelli, is 0-for-7 lifetime but he did finish third in the Kentucky Derby with a late rush at 70-1. The speed fell apart in the Derby and Ocelli chugged along for the show dough. Fact: A maiden has not won the Preakness since 1888.
Chip Honcho was regarded nicely earlier in the year. He was up the track in the Louisiana Derby in his last start. This son of Connect gets Jose Ortiz, who has been winning everything, including the Derby. The jockey is better than the horse.
A closer look at GI @PreaknessStakes contender CHIP HONCHO (Connect) who spent plenty of time on the track this morning at Laurel Park.
The Steve Asmussen trainee is already a stakes winner and graded stakes-placed. pic.twitter.com/XInU0LZWle
— TDN (@theTDN) May 13, 2026
Iron Honor was the favorite on the morning line at 9-2. Doubt he will be the chalk entering the starting gate. He won the Gotham at Aqueduct, but regressed when finishing seventh in the Wood Memorial. Hard pass from Post 9.
Napoleon Solo — Post 10 — faltered on the lead and finished fifth in the Wood. One stat that becomes obvious as more horses are studied is how ordinary their Daily Racing Form Beyer Figures are. Napoleon Solo is coming off a 78, which is the worst number of his career.
Preakness contender NAPOLEON SOLO was full of beans this morning at Laurel Park.
The G1W Gold Square-owned Chad Summers trainee is 8-1 morning-line for Saturday’s classic. Paco Lopez is scheduled to ride. pic.twitter.com/KoQcJI887T
— Barbara D. Livingston (@DRFLivingston) May 14, 2026
Incredibolt is 5-1 from Post 12 and is incredibly tempting. Yes, he finished behind Ocelli in the Kentucky Derby when winding up sixth by four. He had a troubled trip, was bumped and could be much better here. If the Virginia Derby winner can run back to his last two efforts, he will be a major factor.
INCREDIBOLT (Bolt d’Oro – Sapphire Spitfire, by Awesome Again) this morning at Laurel Park
The Pin Oak Stud-owned Riley Mott trainee is 5/1 morning-line for Saturday’s Preakness. pic.twitter.com/q73R4zUr4p
— Barbara D. Livingston (@DRFLivingston) May 14, 2026
Great White is the biggest horse in the field. He is absolutely massive. He won the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park but was walloped in the Blue Grass before falling and being scratched at the gate in the Derby. Just watch him take money from post 13 because of his size and antics in the Run for the Roses.
GREAT WHITE Heads Out to the Track to Stretch His Legs this Morning with @andie_biancone Up.🦈 -R @johnennis35@Three_Chimneys@PreaknessStakeshttps://t.co/WnkEOYWMtX
— Regina Pierce (@reginapierce) May 14, 2026
The big fella, Great White, and @andie_biancone, head back to the @PreaknessStakes Stakes Barn after Thursday morning gallop. The aptly named Great White stands 17.2 hands and weighs in over 1,300 pounds. And he can run. pic.twitter.com/wYPgIlYFao
— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) May 14, 2026
Who will win the 2026 Preakness Stakes?
There is a lot to like about Taj Mahal. He should be on the lead and can control the tempo. He hasn’t faced horses at this level. That said, this Preakness is not at the level of a typical Triple Crown race.
Expect Incredibolt to come running with fury late. Remember, horses that run back from the Derby have done well in the Preakness. This one could be no exception.
Chip Honcho and Ocelli should be in the mix for the minor spoils.
THE PICK: Incredibolt over Taj Mahal. Exacta box, 1-12.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Preakness picks: Best bets, winners and superfecta for 2026 race