Preakness Stakes Picks – Horse Racing Odds, Betting Preview, and Predictions (May 16)
- When: Saturday, May 16, 2026 @ 6:50 PM ET
- Where: Laurel Park, Maryland
- How to Watch: NBC/Peacock/FanDuel TV
The 2026 Kentucky Derby will live long in the memory after Golden Tempo made history for Cherie DeVaux. Another record-breaking audience is likely to tune in for the Middle Leg of the Triple Crown on May 16. Laurel Park hosts the Preakness Stakes for the first time this year, and a wide-open renewal of the race is set. You can find the odds and our Preakness Stakes picks here.
Preakness Stakes Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Taj Mahal (1) | +500 |
| Ocelli (2) | +600 |
| Crupper (3) | +3000 |
| Robusta (4) | +3000 |
| Talkin (5) | +2000 |
| Chip Honcho (6) | +500 |
| The Hell We Did (7) | +1500 |
| Bull By The Horns (8) | +3000 |
| Iron Honor (9) | +350 |
| Napoleon Solo (10) | +800 |
| Corono De Oro (11) | +3000 |
| Incredibolt (12) | +500 |
| Great White (13) | +1500 |
| Pretty Boy Miah (14) | +1500 |
Race Information & Records
| Stat | Information |
|---|---|
| Race Distance | 1 3/16 Miles |
| Purse | $2,000,000 |
| Most Successful Trainer | Bob Baffert (8) |
| Most Successful Jockey | Eddie Arcaro (6) |
ALSO SEE: Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet: Runner-by-Runner Guide & Odds
Preakness Stakes: Recent Winners
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Journalism | Umberto Rispoli | Michael McCarthy |
| 2024 | Seize The Grey | Jaime Torres | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 2023 | National Treasure | John Velazquez | Bob Baffert |
| 2022 | Early Voting | Jose Ortiz | Chad Brown |
| 2021 | Rombauer | Flavien Prat | Michael McCarthy |
Race Preview
The eyes of the racing world will be on Laurel Park this Saturday, as the Preakness Stakes forms the Middle Leg of the Triple Crown. Unfortunately, the Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo, will not take his place in the line-up, creating an opportunity for another superstar three-year-old to make their mark in Maryland.
Locally trained Taj Mahal has been a red-hot favorite for the race since his involvement in the Preakness was declared by Brittany Russell. The three-year-old is a son of Nyquist, and is unbeaten in three career starts. He is a specialist at the track, setting a career-best Equibase rating of 97 last time out when winning the Federico Tesio Stakes.
One of the only runners from this year’s Derby that will line up at Laurel Park is D. Whitworth Beckman-trained Ocelli. He will be a much shorter priced than his odds of +7000 when finishing third in the Derby. Remains to be seen whether that was a fluke, but he looks like a contender who thrived in a big field more than most.
Incredibolt was a late inclusion in the Preakness picture after being declared by Riley Mott on Monday. The son of Bolt D’Oro was an excellent sixth in the Kentucky Derby at the start of the month, and he could feasibly reverse the form with Ocelli. A live chance for the Mott yard, as he bids to follow in the footsteps of Journalism, who was beaten in the Derby before landing the Preakness.
Chad Brown will saddle Iron Honor in the Preakness. After making a pleasing return when winning the G3 Gotham, he was disappointingly beaten in the G2 Wood Memorial (4l behind Albus).
One of the most interesting contenders is Chad Summers-trained Napoleon Solo. The son of Liam’s Map is well-bred, and looked exciting as a juvenile, including when winning the G1 Champagne. However, is yet to show that level of ability this year, finishing fifth (12l behind Commandment) in the G2 Fountain of Youth and fifth (2l behind Albus) in the G2 Wood Memorial.
Meanwhile, at bigger prices, The Hell We Did should come on for his run when second in the G2 Lexington Stakes, and the Authentic colt is a fascinating outsider. Pretty Boy Miah steps up in class after achieving a career-best Equibase rating of 96 in a starter optional claimer at Aqueduct.
Great White was scratched at the starting gates in the Kentucky Derby, and will be an outside chance. Corona de Oro is likely not suitably bred for the Preakness, while Robusta and Talkin both need to recapture their form from their juvenile campaigns.
Preakness Stakes Picks
After correctly predicting the winner of the Kentucky Derby, we are placing our faith in the Steven Asmussen-trained Chip Honcho for the Preakness. The three-year-old is by Connect, who was the winner of the Pennsylvania Derby and Westchester Stakes during his time on track.
That indicates that the Preakness distance should be perfect for the selection. So far, Chip Honcho has shown flashes of strong form, finishing within a length of the highly-regarded Paladin in the G2 Risen Star. Struggled when stepped up in distance when only fifth in the G2 Louisiana Derby, but was within three lengths of Derby winner Golden Tempo in a race that didn’t suit the selection’s style, and he will need to settle better on Saturday.
Asmussen clearly has faith after opting for the Preakness despite Chip Honcho being considered his main hope for the Triple Crown opener at Churchill Downs.
Free Pick:
