2026 Preakness Stakes: Full field, odds, analysis, and prediction

The 2026 Preakness Stakes is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing middle jewels of the Triple Crown in recent memory, thanks to a 14-horse field of talented thoroughbreds who are primarily unproven at a mile and 3/16. With Pimlico’s historic track undergoing continued modernization, Laurel Park Racetrack is the site for Saturday’s 151st “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”.

Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is skipping The Preakness to presumably prep for The Belmont next month at Saratoga. Despite his absence, the field is full of speed, pedigree, and storylines.

With the Draw happening on Monday, the field and odds are set. Iron Honor is the favorite (9-2) followed by Taj Mahal (5-1) and Incredibolt (5-1). In addition to Incredibolt, Ocelli (6-1) and Robusta (30-1) are set to race Saturday just a couple weeks removed from running in the Kentucky Derby.

NBC Sports’ horse racing and betting analyst Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) will stop by later this week and give us a look at his bets for the race.

How to Watch the 121st Preakness Stakes

When: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Post Time: 6:50pm ET
Site:: Laurel Park
Location: Laurel, MD
Race Length: 1 3/16 miles
Purse: $2,000,000
Network: NBC / Peacock

This is the ultimate betting primer for The Preakness Stakes. Let’s run through the field and break down each horse.

2025 Kentucky Derby Full Field and Post Positions

The following is a snapshot of each horse in the field including their jockey, trainer, most recent race, racing style, and a few oats to chew on.

(Horses listed by Post Position)

#1 Taj Mahal (5-1)

• Jockey: Sheldon Russell | Trainer: Brittany Russell
• Last Race: Finished 1st in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park
• Racing Style: Free-Running (uses early speed to break away from the pack)
• Purchase Price: $525,000 | Career Earnings: $88,000
  
  Oats:
• Sired by 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (as is Iron Honor)
• Has won each of his 3 races
• Each of his 3 races have been at Laurel Park - home of the 2026 Preakness

#2 Ocelli (6-1)

• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione | Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman
• Last Race: Finished 3rd in the Kentucky Derby
• Racing Style: Stalker (typically sits behind the early speed and pacesetters, aiming to save energy for a late surge)
• Purchase Price: $12,000 | Career Earnings: $609,800
  
  Oats:
• Winless in seven career starts
• Because he was a 70-1 longshot in the Kentucky Derby, a $2 bet on him to show (finish in the top 3) paid out a massive $36.34
• Gaffalione ranks No. 3 in earnings among North American jockeys this year

#3 Crupper (30-1)

• Jockey: Junior Alvarado | Trainer: Donnie Von Hemel
• Last Race: Won the Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn Park
• Racing Style: Front-Runner (Races prominently near the front, then digs in to hold off hard-charging stretch runners)
• Purchase Price: Homebred | Career Earnings: $210,665
  
  Oats:
• Preakness history holds a fascinating alphabetical quirk—the letter “C” has been the starting initial for the most winners in the race’s history (17 in total)
• The colt is actually named after a prominent individual associated with his breeding farm in Kentucky, rather than the piece of equipment (a leather strap that loops under horse’s tail and attaches to the saddle)

#4 Robusta (30-1)

• Jockey: Rafael Bejarano | Trainer: Doug O’Neill
• Last Race: Finished 7th in the Santa Anita Derby
• Racing Style: Frontrunner (prefers to take an immediate, early lead or run very close to the front of the field)
• Purchase Price: Homebred | Career Earnings: $83,500
  
  Oats:
• Sired by Accelerate who earned nearly $7 million on the track including the Breeders’ Cup Classic
• Gets his name from the robusta coffee bean
• O’Neill has won the Preakness Stakes once in his career (I’ll Have Another in 2012)
  

#5 Talkin (20-1)

• Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. | Trainer: Danny Gargan
• Last Race: Finished 3rd in the Blue Grass Stakes
• Racing Style: Stalker (settles into a position just off the early speed before rallying down the stretch)
• Purchase Price: $600,000 | Career Earnings: $288,625
  
  Oats:
• Gargan’s father, Danny, was a jockey who won the 1973 Kentucky Oaks (Bag of Tunes) and 2 weeks later The Black-Eyed Susan (Fish Wife)
• Talkin is shipping from Keeneland to Laurel Park Tuesday

#6 Chip Honcho (5-1)

• Jockey: Jose Ortiz | Trainer: Steven M. Asmussen
• Last Race: Finished fifth in the Louisiana Derby
• Racing Style: Pacesetter (runs at or near the front of the field from the start, determining the speed for the rest of the pack)
• Purchase Price: $210,000 | Career Earnings: $280,475
  
  Oats:
• Has finished 1st in 2 races, 2nd in 2 others, and 5th
• Has won on a fast track and also on a muddy track

#7 The Hell We Did (15-1)

• Jockey: Luis Saez | Trainer: Todd Fincher
• Last Race: Finished 2nd Lexington on April 11 at Keeneland
• Racing Style: Stalker (Tracks the early frontrunners before making a move into contention on the final turn)
• Purchase Price: Homebred | Career Earnings: $134,818
  
  Oats:
• Sired by the 2020 Horse of the Year Authentic
• Has 2 wins and 2 second-place finishes in 4 career starts

#8 Bull By The Horns (30-1)

• Jockey: Micah Husbands | Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
• Last Race: Won the Rushaway Stakes in March in Florence, KY
• Racing Style: Closer (generally lingers near the back of the pack early before unleashing a wide, powerful late kick down the stretch)
• Purchase Price: $75,000 | Career Earnings: $187,115
  
  Oats:
• Was dead last after six furlongs before uncorking a massive stretch rally to win a four-way photo finish in the Rushaway Stakes
• 2-0-2 in 5 career starts

#9 Iron Honor (9-2)

• Jockey: Flavien Pratt | Trainer: Chad Brown
• Last Race: Finished 7th at the Wood Memorial
• Racing Style: Stalker (Runs just a few lengths off the early leaders before making a decisive move turning for home
• Purchase Price: $475,000 | Career Earnings: $229,250
  
  Oats:
• The Preakness will be his second race with two turns
• Sired by Nyquist (2016 Kentucky Derby winner)

#10 Napoleon Solo (8-1)

• Jockey: Paco Lopez | Trainer: Chad Summers
• Last Race: Finished 5th in the Wood Memorial
• Racing Style: Speed Horse (presses the pace early and pulls away in the stretch)
• Purchase Price: $40,000 | Career Earnings: $319,000
  
  Oats:
• Originally named, “No Male Today”
• Renamed “Napoleon Solo” because the owner, Al Gold, loves watching old 1960s television shows
• The horse’s name is a direct homage to the fictional spy from the classic series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

#11 Corona de Oro (30-1)

• Jockey: John Velazquez | Trainer: Dallas Stewart
• Last Race: Finished 3rd in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes
• Racing Style: Frontrunner (loves to run quickly early and set the pace)
• Purchase Price: $160,000 | Career Earnings: $92,540
  
  Oats:
• Stewart has finished second twice in the Preakness Stakes (Tale of Verve, 2015 and Macho Again, 2008)
• Velazquez won the Preakness aboard National Treasure in 2023

#12 Incredibolt (5-1)

• Jockey: Jaime A. Torres | Trainer: Riley Mott
• Last Race: Finished just outside the money in 6th in the Kentucky Derby
• Racing Style: Stalker (sits just behind the front runners, aiming to conserve energy and challenge the leader in the final stretch)
• Purchase Price: $75,000 | Career Earnings: $498,681
  
  Oats:
• Won the Street Sense Stakes which was won in 2024 by Sovereignty who went on to win the Kentucky Derby all the while being trained by Bill Mott, Riley’s father
• Prior to winning the Virginia Derby, lost by 25 1/4 lengths in the Holy Bull Stakes

#13 Great White (15-1)

• Jockey: Alex Achard | Trainer: John Ennis
• Last Race: Finished 5th in the Blue Gras Stakes on April 4
• Racing Style: Stalker with immense size (over 1,300 pounds)
• Purchase Price: $55,000 | Career Earnings: $202,495
  
  Oats:
• Scratched for safety reasons just moments before the Kentucky Derby because he reared up, lost his balance, and flipped over backwards while loading into the starting gate
• Great White has tremendous size standing 17.2 hands tall and weighing over 1300lbs.
• Has yet to win on anything other than a synthetic surface

#14 Pretty Boy Miah (15-1)

• Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. | Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart
• Last Race: Won starter optional claiming race April 25 at Aqueduct
• Racing Style: Front-runner (strives to get to the very front of the pack at the start of the race and dictate the pace)
• Purchase Price: $60,000 | Career Earnings: $95,800
  
  Oats:
• Since Englehart added blinkers, Pretty Boy Miah has successfully run wire-to-wire in his last 2 races
• This is Englehart’s first starter in a Triple Crown race

PREDICTION: Having studied the field - their previous races and their practices at Laurel Park - our card has Taj Mahal to Win despite starting from the rail. His speed is undeniable and the extra length should afford him time to shed the early traffic he’ll experience starting from the rail. Tak Mahal just outraces Incredibolt. Finally, let’s take Ocelli to repeat his finish at the Derby to complete our Trifecta.

Be sure to check back in throughout the week for the latest odd, news, and notes from the track.