Preakness Stakes 2026 Predictions: Favorites, Sleepers and Longshot Picks
The highly anticipated second leg of the American Triple Crown, The Preakness Stakes, is all set to kick off at 6:50 p.m. ET on Saturday at Laurel Park, and while Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is not racing, there will be plenty of familiar faces.
The 14-horse field will be led by Ocelli, who ran a big third in the Run for the Roses, with Incredibolt and Robusta also joining him as part of the Derby contingent, while Taj Mahal is the horse to watch out for as he looks for his fourth straight victory at Laurel Park.
The Preakness Stakes traditionally takes place at Pimlico Race Course, but that facility is undergoing extensive renovations, making this the first time in over 100 years that the race is not held there.
2026 Preakness Stakes Odds By Post Position
Following Monday's draw, the field and odds are set with Iron Honor leading the way as the early betting favorite. (Odds via NBC Sports)
1: Taj Mahal (5-1)
2: Ocelli (6-1)
3: Crupper (30-1)
4: Robusta (30-1)
5: Talkin (20-1)
6: Chip Honcho (5-1)
7: The Hell We Did (15-1)
8: Bull By The Horns (30-1)
9: Iron Honor (9-2)
10: Napoleon Solo (8-1)
11: Corono De Oro (30-1)
12: Incredibolt (5-1)
13: Great White (15-1)
14: Pretty Boy Miah (15-1)
Preakness Stakes 2026 Favorites
Iron Honor (9-2) is the morning-line favorite to win the 2026 Preakness Stakes, and while he finished a distant seventh at the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April, he won both of his prior races with speed figures that could bode well at Laurel Park. Trainer Chad Brown already has two Preakness wins to his name and will be chasing his third on Saturday evening.
Incredibolt (5-1) has similar odds to the unbeaten Taj Mahal and Chip Honcho, but neither of them, nor any other horse in the field, boasts a triple-digit Speed rating, a mark he earned with his dominant four-length Virginia Derby win. While he finished sixth at the Kentucky Derby, trainer Riley Mott was happy with the effort, and that bounce-back factor could play a significant role.
Preakness Stakes 2026 Sleepers
One can certainly argue that Taj Mahal (5-1) should be among the favorites given his record at Laurel Park, but the knock on him is that he hasn't faced Derby-level competition. He knows this track cold, though, and if he gets loose on the lead from post 1, he could be very hard to catch.
Let's Goooo @TomRyanKY@DonatoLanni Avengers!!!!
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These guys are loaded once again; the gold standard of horse racing syndicates.
Good things happen when the best of their craft unite and give the horse time. Taj Mahal 3-0 Let's Gooo! pic.twitter.com/dOlL9SmSNu
Napoleon Solo (8-1) is another horse to watch. A pace-presser who likes to be near the front early, Napoleon Solo is trained by Chad Summers and finished fifth in his last race at the Wood Memorial. He is a graded stakes winner who ran well before two soft preps, and his mid-pack post gives him a clean trip in a field full of speed horses who could burn each other out early.
Preakness Stakes 2026 Longshot Picks
The Hell We Did (15-1) is a solid longshot pick, coming off a second-place finish at the Lexington Stakes on April 11 at Keeneland, and he brings two wins and two runner-up finishes from his four career starts. He typically tracks from off the pace, and in a race without a dominant horse, he could certainly make a move when it matters most.
Pretty Boy Miah (15-1) is the only horse in the field that has never competed in a stakes race, and this will be his first time racing outside of Aqueduct. He has run wire-to-wire in his last two races, and with nobody quite knowing what he's capable of at this level, Jeremiah Englehart's charge could spring a surprise.
2026 Preakness Stakes Prediction
Based on the field, weather conditions, and previous performances, we are backing Incredibolt to win the race, barely outracing Taj Mahal in the final stretch after stalking him through the 1 3/16-mile distance. Taj Mahal's perfect record at Laurel Park should keep him dangerous throughout, while Iron Honor could round out the podium in third.
Related: Preakness Stakes 2026: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time and How to Watch
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This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM.