There will be 14 Preakness Stakes horses trying their luck at Laurel Park on Saturday, May 16.
The Preakness Stakes post positions are set, and Iron Honor has been established as a narrow favorite in the Preakness Stakes odds.
Robert Criscola has ranked the contenders for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
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🐴 2026 Preakness horses
The Preakness Stakes post positions were determined via a random drawing on Monday, May 11. Check out our Preakness Stakes 2026 horse profiles for every contender:
Who is running in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?
Taj Mahal: Was last seen winning a well-rated Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park to prep for the Preakness. However, Deputed Testamony (1983) is the only horse to ever win both races.
- Trainer: Brittany Russell
- Jockey: Sheldon Russell
- Earnings: $178,200
Incredibolt: Two-time stakes winner showed some staying power in the Derby in a sixth-place effort.
- Trainer: Riley Mott
- Jockey: Jamie Torres
- Earnings: $498,681
Iron Honor: Iron Honor started his career 2-for-2, highlighted by a score in the Gotham Stakes, prior to a disappointing seventh in the Wood Memorial. However, both of Chad Brown's Preakness winners (Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting in 2022) made their most recent start in the Wood.
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Earnings: $229,250
Chip Honcho: Chip Honcho won the Gun Runner Stakes early on the Fair Grounds road to the Kentucky Derby, and followed it up with a fourth, second, and fifth in three subsequent stakes starts. However, he's been training forwardly, so perhaps the time off has done him some good.
- Trainer: Steve Asmussen
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Earnings: $280,475
Ocelli: The maiden outran his odds to be third in the Kentucky Derby. Can he build upon the best race of his career on a short turnaround?
- Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman
- Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- Earnings: $609,800
Pretty Boy Miah: Has won two straight but gets a major class test today having never tried stakes company before.
- Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart
- Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
- Earnings: $95,800
Bull By The Horns: Last seen closing to take the Rushaway Stakes on synthetic dirt on March 21, which came on the heels of a seventh in the Fountain of Youth on conventional dirt. The last runner to win the Preakness after more than 30 days away from the races was Red Bullet (2000).
- Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.
- Jockey: Micah Husbands
- Earnings: $187,115
Talkin: Defeated in four straight starts since breaking his maiden. Was a well-beaten third in the Blue Grass Stakes when last seen.
- Trainer: Danny Gargan
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
- Earnings: $288,625
Great White: Flipped at the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby and was forced to scratch as a precaution. Was an also-eligible for the Derby based on a weak resume, with a win in the John Battaglia Memorial on synthetic dirt followed by a fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes on conventional dirt.
- Trainer: John Ennis
- Jockey: Alex Achard
- Earnings: $202,495
The Hell We Did: Started his career 2-for-3, all sprints. Stretched out to a route in the Lexington Stakes when last seen and ran second while losing ground in the stretch. The extra furlong plus the hike in class may prove too much.
- Trainer: Todd Fincher
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Earnings: $134,818
Corona de Oro: Ran 3/4-lengths behind The Hell We Did in the Lexington, his first start vs. winners after breaking his maiden at fourth asking.
- Trainer: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Earnings: $92,540
Crupper: Needed four starts to break his maiden, but exits a win in the Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn.
- Trainer: Donnie K. Von Hemel
- Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Earnings: $210,665
Napoleon Solo: The Champagne Stakes winner has gone the wrong way as the distances have grown longer, running fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and the Wood Memorial.
- Trainer: Chad Summers
- Jockey: Paco Lopez
- Earnings: $360,520
Robusta: Has been unable to replicate his shocking second in the San Felipe, running seventh in the Santa Anita Derby and 14th in the Kentucky Derby.
- Trainer: Doug O'Neill
- Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
- Earnings: $83,500
2026 Preakness Stakes odds
| Post | Horse | Track odds |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taj Mahal | 5-1 | +500 |
| 2 | Ocelli | 6-1 | +600 |
| 3 | Crupper | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 4 | Robusta | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 5 | Talkin | 20-1 | +2000 |
| 6 | Chip Honcho | 5-1 | +500 |
| 7 | The Hell We Did | 15-1 | +1500 |
| 8 | Bull By The Horns | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 9 | Iron Honor | 9-2 | +450 |
| 10 | Napoleon Solo | 8-1 | +800 |
| 11 | Corona de Oro | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 12 | Incredibolt | 5-1 | +500 |
| 13 | Great White | 15-1 | +1500 |
| 14 | Pretty Boy Miah | 15-1 | +1500 |
Odds at FanDuel, one of our best horse racing betting sites.
✅ How horses qualify for the Preakness Stakes
The Preakness is limited to 14 horses, with up to two also-eligibles. In the event more than 14 horses are entered, graded stakes earnings will be used to sort out which horses will be allowed to run. Any horse that earns purse money in the Kentucky Derby has an automatic bid to the Preakness, as does the winner of the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park.
🏇 Types of Preakness Stakes horses
The Preakness Stakes isn’t open to just any horse. The “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” is limited to thoroughbred colts and fillies racing as three-year-olds.
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred horses are predominantly used for racing, as they have a taller and slimmer build and are more athletic than standardbred horses, which are muscular and used in harness racing. Thoroughbred horses are able to sustain speeds over longer distances, with the Preakness held at a 1 3/16th-miles.
Age of horses
Three-year-old horses can be considered teenagers in terms of growth, nearly fully developed but not quite at the maturity or muscle build of the four-year-old horse. Limiting the field to three-year-old horses allows for only a handful of prep races and adds an aura of mystery to the Preakness field, serving as a coming-out party for the next generation of elite race horses.
How to pick a Preakness winner
The Preakness is a bit simpler than the Derby when it comes to picking winners, but it can still be the site of major upsets. Here are some key factors to help you separate the true contenders from the also-rans:
1. Past performance in prep races
Look at how each horse fared in major prep races like the Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby. Horses who finish strongly in these high-stakes races often carry that momentum into the Preakness, even if they bypassed the Kentucky Derby.
🔎 A Top-3 finish in a major prep race is often a strong indicator that a horse is doing well.
2. Running style and pace
Pace makes the race, even in the Preakness. Horses with tactical speed (who can stay close to the lead but avoid an early burnout) often fare best.
📉 Avoid deep closers who need a perfect setup to win — traffic jams and fast fractions don’t always cooperate.
3. Post position draw
While a talented horse can overcome a bad draw, certain gates historically offer better chances. Middle posts (like 5-10) tend to offer the best combination of clean trips and strategic options.
📌 Avoid extreme inside or far outside posts unless the horse has shown adaptability in large fields.
4. Distance pedigree
The Preakness is 1 3/16th-miles — longer than most of the Derby preps. Horses bred for stamina are more likely to stay strong in the final furlongs.
🧬 A sprinter pedigree might shine early, but fade down the stretch.
