The 151st running of the Preakness Stakes will break new ground on Saturday as a full field of 14 three-year-olds assembles at Laurel Park, marking the first time the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown will be staged at the venue while redevelopment work continues at Pimlico Race Course.
Preakness Stakes 2026 post positions.
Monday’s draw produced a competitive and tightly matched line-up, with St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing’s Iron Honor installed as the 9-2 morning-line favourite after securing Post 9. Trained by Chad Brown, the son of Nyquist enters the race seeking to rebound from a below-par seventh-place finish in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Prior to that setback, Iron Honor had shown considerable promise with consecutive victories in the Gotham Stakes and on debut over six furlongs. Brown acknowledged surprise at seeing his colt head the market but maintained confidence in his credentials for the 1 3/16-mile contest.
“I like the horse, I like the spot for him, but based on his last start, I was surprised he was made the morning-line favorite,” Brown said. “But I am not surprised that he fits in this race.”
Brown, already a two-time Preakness-winning trainer through Cloud Computing and Early Voting, also expressed satisfaction with the middle draw, while leading rider Flavien Prat takes the mount for the first time.
One of the major local hopes comes in the form of unbeaten Taj Majal, who has rapidly emerged as one of the standout sophomores on the Maryland circuit. Trained by Brittany Russell, the colt drew the rail in Post 1 and was listed at 5-1 on the morning line.
The son of Nyquist secured his place in the Preakness with a commanding victory in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park, adding to earlier wins in the Miracle Wood and on debut. Sheldon Russell, aboard for all three victories, retains the ride.
Russell admitted the inside draw was not her preferred scenario but remained upbeat about her colt’s chances.
“It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but it is what it is,” she said. “He’s a good gate horse and we’ll just have to play it as it unfolds.”
Also sharing 5-1 status is Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott. The son of Bolt d’Oro finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby after encountering traffic problems and now breaks from Post 12 under Jaime Torres, last year’s winning Preakness rider aboard Seize the Grey.
Mott believes the colt’s tactical versatility should help offset the wide draw as connections seek a breakthrough success in one of American racing’s most prestigious events.
Steve Asmussen, a Hall of Fame trainer with previous Preakness victories through Curlin and Rachel Alexandra, sends out Chip Honcho from Post 6. The colt was also rated at 5-1 despite finishing fifth in the Louisiana Derby during his latest appearance.
Asmussen openly welcomed the draw, noting that positions between five and seven had been his preferred range for the Laurel configuration. Jose Ortiz, who won the 2022 Preakness aboard Early Voting, has the ride.
Among the more intriguing runners is Ocelli, who briefly threatened to cause a major upset when leading into the stretch of the Kentucky Derby before finishing third at huge odds. The Whit Beckman-trained colt remains a maiden after seven starts but has nevertheless been installed at 6-1 for the Preakness from Post 2.
Beckman believes the inside draw could suit the colt’s patient running style far better than the wide assignment he faced at Churchill Downs earlier this month.
Another contender attracting attention is Napoleon Solo, a Grade 1-winning juvenile who will attempt to regain winning form from Post 10 under Paco Lopez. The Chad Summers-trained runner faded late in the Wood Memorial after forcing the pace but retains strong credentials based on his earlier performances.
Talkin, trained by Danny Gargan, will make his Triple Crown debut from Post 5 with Irad Ortiz Jr. booked to ride. Gargan expressed satisfaction with the draw after avoiding the widest stalls in the field.
The remainder of the 151st Preakness Stakes field includes Great White (Post 13), Pretty Boy Miah (Post 14), The Hell We Did (Post 7), Corona de Oro (Post 11), Crupper (Post 3) and Robusta (Post 4), ensuring a deep and varied renewal of one of American racing’s most historic contests.
With a full gate assembled for the first time since Shackleford’s victory in 2011, Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park promises a compelling clash between proven graded performers, emerging local talent and Triple Crown hopefuls aiming to etch their names into racing history.
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