There may not be a Triple Crown on the line, but the 2026 Preakness Stakes odds are ripe with intrigue.
My Preakness Stakes exacta, trifecta, and superfecta picks have analyzed the form for all 14 participants, and have come up with two double-digit prices that will help sweeten the exotics.
See why I'm talking about Talkin, and much more, on Saturday, May 16.
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Preakness Stakes exacta pick
The exacta requires the bettor to select the Top 2 finishers of a race in exact order. The minimum wager at Laurel Park is $1. Bettors can also “box” an exacta, meaning two (or more) selected Preakness Stakes horses on a ticket can finish in any order, albeit at an increased cost.
My Preakness exotics flow through three horses: No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, and No. 5 Talkin. I'll start by boxing all three in an exacta, which costs $12 for every $2 staked.
The Hell We Did kept Corona de Oro honest in the Lexington Stakes and beat him head-to-head, but was unable to complete the job and checked in second. He won a sprint by 13 lengths two-back, so he had the right to bounce in his route debut.
The pedigree (by Kentucky Derby winner Authentic) says he'll get the 1 3/16th-mile distance of the Preakness, and trainer Todd Fincher has also put some sharp five-furlong works into him.
Iron Honor stalked and scored at first asking going six furlongs, then successfully stretched out to a mile in the Gotham Stakes.
Iron Honor ran seventh in a slow Wood Memorial when last seen, but was close to a pace that completely fell apart. Trainer Chad Brown has won this race twice, both with horses exiting the Wood.
Talkin has just one win on his resume but has consistently run speed figures that put him in the win discussion here. He was last seen running third in the Blue Grass Stakes.
$4 exacta box:
- To win: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
- Second place: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
Total = $24
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Preakness Stakes trifecta pick
The trifecta tasks the bettor with determining the first three finishers of a race in the correct order. The payoff can be much higher than the exacta, but both the ticket cost and the risk factor increase significantly, even with a minimum wager amount of 50 cents.
Let's start by boxing my three exacta horses in a trifecta. Then I'll add in Derby also-rans Ocelli and Incredibolt to the bottom of another trifecta ticket topped by Iron Honor.
Ocelli is 0-for-7 lifetime, so he's tough to endorse on top, but he had the lead in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby before succumbing late. I don't think the short turnaround helps, but the slightly shorter distance of the Preakness might.
Incredibolt proved his Virginia Derby speed figure was no fluke in a sixth-place finish at Churchill Downs. He should get plenty of pace to close into.
$2 trifecta box:
- To win: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
- Second place: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
- Third place: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
$2 trifecta:
- To win: No. 9 Iron Honor
- Second place: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did
- Third place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 12 Incredibolt
Total = $24
Preakness Stakes superfecta pick
The Preakness superfecta is even tougher to hit than the trifecta, as the bettor must pick the Top 4 finishers of a race in exact order. Of course, the potential payday can be tremendous. The minimum wager amount is just 10 cents, making it a little easier to get involved.
I'll start with a simple 10-cent, five-horse box of all the horses mentioned in my trifecta plays, which costs $12. I'll double down for another 10 cent super play that has only my Top 3 choices in the first two legs.
Finally, in another $12 ticket, I'll key Iron Honor on top and spread further down in the wager.
$0.10 superfecta box:
- To win: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
- Second place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
- Third place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
- Fourth place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
$0.10 superfecta pick:
- To win: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
- Second place: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor
- Third place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
- Fourth place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
$1 superfecta pick:
- To win: No. 9 Iron Honor
- Second place: No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did
- Third place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
- Fourth place: No. 2 Ocelli, No. 5 Talkin, No. 7 The Hell We Did, No. 9 Iron Honor, No. 12 Incredibolt
Total = $31.20
