The stage is set for a historic showdown at the 2026 Preakness Stakes, as 14 horses line up for the biggest field the race has seen in 15 years. On Saturday, May 16, Maryland’s Laurel Park will host the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown, temporarily taking over from the storied Pimlico Race Course while it undergoes extensive redevelopment. The atmosphere is crackling with anticipation, and with the Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo sitting this one out, the Preakness is wide open—ripe for surprises, upsets, and perhaps even a little history in the making.
Let’s start with the numbers: 14 horses, the largest field since 2011, will thunder down the 1 3/16-mile track, all vying for a share of the $2 million purse. The field is led by Iron Honor, the morning-line favorite at 9-2 odds, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by the experienced Flavien Prat. Iron Honor skipped the Derby but comes in with a win in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct and a seventh-place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes. Prat, who’s no stranger to the Preakness winner’s circle after his 2021 triumph, is looking to add another notch to his belt, and Brown is chasing his third career Preakness victory. The stakes couldn’t be higher for this dynamic duo.
But Iron Honor isn’t the only horse drawing attention. Three others—Taj Mahal, Chip Honcho, and Incredibolt—share 5-1 odds, each with their own compelling backstories. Taj Mahal is undefeated in three career starts, all at his home track of Laurel Park, including victories in the Miracle Wood Stakes and the Federico Tesio Stakes. The bay colt will break from the tricky No. 1 post, a position that can be both a blessing and a curse. Trainer Brittany Russell, who’s aiming to make history as the first woman to win the Preakness, was candid about the draw: "You know it’s funny. I said to myself, the only spot I was hoping not to be was the rail. It’s OK. It’s all good." Her husband, Sheldon Russell, will be in the irons for Taj Mahal, continuing a family affair that’s already delivered three wins together.
Chip Honcho, meanwhile, is at the center of a fascinating subplot. Jockey Jose Ortiz, fresh off his Kentucky Derby win aboard Golden Tempo, will be in the saddle for trainer Steve Asmussen. Only two jockeys in history—Willie Simms in 1898 and Calvin Borel in 2009—have managed to win the Derby and the Preakness in the same year on different horses. Ortiz is eager to join that exclusive club, declaring, "Trying to win the Triple Crown on different horses, why not? I’m going for it." Chip Honcho skipped the Derby after a fifth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby, with Asmussen believing the smaller, more controlled crowd at Laurel Park would suit the colt’s temperament better. "Limited attendance at Laurel as opposed to what they get in that run to the first turn for the derby, this gives him a way better chance to show who he is," Asmussen explained. The sixth post position could prove advantageous in such a crowded field.
Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott and ridden by Jaime Torres, also arrives with momentum. The dark bay colt finished sixth in the Derby, but not without drama—he was bumped while rallying in the stretch. Incredibolt’s earlier victories in the Virginia Derby and the Street Sense Stakes mark him as a serious contender. Torres, who rode Seize the Grey to a wire-to-wire win in last year’s Preakness, is hungry for a repeat. For Mott, it’s his first Preakness starter, following in the footsteps of his father, Bill Mott, who last saddled a horse in this race back in 2008.
The field is deep and competitive, with Ocelli (6-1 odds) bringing strong credentials after a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and a solid campaign that included the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Tyler Gaffalione will ride Ocelli, continuing a partnership that delivered a Derby podium. Napoleon Solo (8-1 odds) and Talkin (20-1 odds) have also shown flashes of brilliance, with Napoleon Solo’s Champagne Stakes win in October 2025 standing out as a career highlight.
This year’s Preakness is notable not just for its crowded field but also for the absence of a Triple Crown hopeful. With Golden Tempo opting out, the dream of a sweep is off the table for the third time in five years. Still, the race is brimming with storylines. Brittany Russell, the 17th woman to saddle a Preakness horse and the first since 2019, is riding a wave of momentum after Cherie DeVaux’s groundbreaking Derby win. The closest a female trainer has come to Preakness glory was in 2002, when Nancy Alberts’ Magic Weisner finished a close second. Could this be the year history is rewritten?
Steve Asmussen, Chip Honcho’s trainer, is also chasing history. Already a two-time Preakness winner with Curlin (2007) and Rachel Alexandra (2009), Asmussen knows how to get it done on the big stage. "Obviously, we’ve seen him not respond to what the rider was asking him to do on more than one occasion," Asmussen noted about Chip Honcho, but he remains optimistic that the colt will rise to the occasion.
Let’s not overlook the longshots. Great White, Pretty Boy Miah, and The Hell We Did are all sitting at 15-1 odds, while Bull by the Horns, Corona de Oro, Crupper, and Robusta are the biggest outsiders at 30-1. In a field this large and unpredictable, anything can happen—just ask anyone who’s followed the Triple Crown over the years.
Laurel Park, nestled between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, is stepping into the spotlight as the temporary host. The move is a nod to the future, with the Preakness expected to return to a redeveloped Pimlico Race Course next year. For now, all eyes are on Laurel, where a limited crowd of about 4,000 will witness history unfold.
As post time approaches—scheduled for 7:01 p.m. ET—trainers, jockeys, and fans alike are buzzing with anticipation. Will Iron Honor justify his favorite status? Can Taj Mahal keep his unbeaten record intact from the dreaded rail? Might Jose Ortiz pull off a feat that hasn’t been seen in over a century? Or will a dark horse emerge from the pack to claim the Black-Eyed Susans?
One thing’s for sure: with a record field, a venue in transition, and so many possible outcomes, this year’s Preakness Stakes is shaping up to be one for the ages. As the horses load into the gate, the only certainty is that racing fans are in for a thrilling ride.