Preakness Stakes 2026: A New Contender Emerges Amid Expanding Field
Jockeys compete during the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes horse race on May 17, 2026, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
By NOAH TRISTER
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LAUREL, Md. — With the Triple Crown off the table, there's another chance for history in horse racing this week:
Is this the most open Preakness ever?
The morning line odds suggest it could be after Iron Honor was installed as a 9-2 favorite following Monday's draw.
With Golden Tempo held out of the race and a sizable field of 14 horses currently stands, making any contender plausible by the time Saturday's start rolls around at Laurel Park.
Top picks on the morning line include Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1), Incredibolt (5-1), and Ocelli (6-1). Napoleon Solo (8-1) follows, with trainer Chad Summers confident in his horse's chances.
"It's the right opportunity with the right field," Summers says. "We've already beaten the morning line favorite."
Iron Honor, trained by Chad Brown, showed promise despite a fifth-place finish in the Wood Memorial. Brown noted the horse was hindered early and never found rhythm.
Related Story: Preakness could soon move later
Picture: Jockeys compete during the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes horse race on May 17, 2026, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
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"We've given him a chance to overcome that setback, and he looks ready right now," Brown shared last week. "His training has been steady and calm."
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No Preakness favorite — since 1940 — has entered the race with odds of 9-2 or longer. Typically, the Derby winner sets the pace, but Golden Tempo joins a growing list of recent skips. This may explain why the field could reach 14, matching the largest since 2011.
Post time Saturday is 7:01 p.m. at Laurel, where the Triple Crown middle race unfolds amid ongoing renovations at Pimlico.
Three Derby horses are in the mix: Ocelli, Incredibolt, and Robusta (30-1). Great White (15-1) returns after being scratched when his jockey was ejected pre-race.
Ocelli placed third as a 70-1 longshot; Incredibolt finished sixth; Robusta came in 14th.
Jose Ortiz, jockey of Golden Tempo, now rides on Chip Honcho.
Taj Mahal, trained by multiple-time Maryland champion Brittany Russell, boasts three straight wins at Laurel and draws the coveted No. 1 post.
"We'll see how things unfold," Russell says. "Speed matters, and he's got both."
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