| Napoleon Solo — 2026 Preakness Stakes Profile | |
|---|---|
| Horse | Napoleon Solo |
| Sire | Liam's Map |
| Owner | Gold Square LLC |
| Trainer | Chad Summers |
| Jockey | P. López |
| Post Position | 10 |
| Morning Line Odds | 8-1 |
| Running Style | Pacesetter / Speed Horse |
| Top Speed Figure | 121 (HRN) |
| Race | 151st Preakness Stakes, Laurel Park |
| Distance | 1 3/16 Miles (Dirt) |
| Previous Start | 5th. 2026 Wood Memorial (G2), Aqueduct |
For the complete field and current Preakness Stakes odds, cross-reference official entries at BUSR, where you can pull full past performances and official scratches as they come in through race day.
Napoleon Solo brings a 2025 Champagne (G1) win to the Preakness field — a legitimate Grade I victory at Belmont at Aqueduct that produced a 121 speed figure and announced him as one of the top juveniles in training. The Liam's Map colt trained by Chad Summers has wins at Belmont at Aqueduct and Saratoga, making him a proven dirt performer on multiple New York tracks. P. López takes the mount from post 10 at 8-1 on the morning line. The Champagne win alone justifies that price — a Grade I winner at 8-1 in a 14-horse field is worth serious consideration before you finalize your Preakness Stakes betting ticket.
The concern is a sharp downward trend in his figures. From 121 in the Champagne, he ran 110 in his Saratoga MSW debut, then dropped to 106 in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream and 96 in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. Four starts, four declining figures. That is not a horse improving into the Preakness — that is a horse who showed elite ability as a juvenile and has not rediscovered it as a three-year-old. Chad Summers needs to explain that regression before bettors commit at 8-1. Let's break down what you actually need to know before you build your ticket around Napoleon Solo.
| Date | Track | Race Type | Distance | Surface | Finish | 1st Place (Fig) | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4/26 | AQU | G2 | 1 1/8M | Dirt-Fast | 5th (96) | Albus (100) | Right to Party (98) | Ocelli (98) | 1:51.71 |
| 2/28/26 | GP | G2 | 1 1/16M | Dirt-Fast | 5th (106) | Commandment (123) | Chief Wallabee (123) | Solitude Dude (120) | 1:43.33 |
| 10/4/25 | BAQ | G1 | 1M | Dirt-Fast | 1st (121) | Napoleon Solo (121) | Talkin (112) | Universe (111) | 1:34.57 |
| 8/8/25 | SAR | Msw | 6F | Dirt-Fast | 1st (110) | Napoleon Solo (110) | Running On Bourbon (100) | Neigh Baby (87) | 1:11.14 |
Post 10 is a workable draw for a speed horse in theory — wide enough to find early position cleanly, inside enough to avoid extreme ground loss. But Napoleon Solo's form heading into this race makes the draw secondary to a more pressing question: is the 121 Champagne figure who he actually is, or was that a juvenile peak he has not come close to repeating? His last two starts — 106 at Gulfstream and 96 at Aqueduct — are not the numbers of a horse heading into a Grade I with confidence. He was fifth in both, beaten by horses in this Preakness field. Ocelli finished third in that very Wood Memorial with a 98 figure while Napoleon Solo ran 96 in fifth.
If you believe the Champagne was real and the regression is a physical or training issue that Summers has since addressed, 8-1 is an enormous price for a horse with a 121 on his record. The Liam's Map breeding gives him stamina to handle 1 3/16 miles, and his Champagne win came at one mile with energy to spare. The bull case is that a fresh, fit Napoleon Solo at Laurel Park returns to juvenile form. The bear case is that he has shown a consistent decline across four starts, and post 10 will require him to work for an early position in a race, his current form does not support winning.
Napoleon Solo as a pacesetter from post 10 adds to the early speed pressure in a race that already features Taj Mahal at post 1 and Chip Honcho at post 6 wanting the front. If López pushes him toward the lead from post 10, he is one of three horses fighting for position in the first quarter mile — burning early energy against fresher rivals from inside posts. That contested pace scenario is the one that most benefits the closers in this field: Incredibolt, Iron Honor, and Talkin all sit in patient positions and come running late if the front horses exhaust each other.
The alternative is that López rates Napoleon Solo off the pace, accepting a stalking position in fifth or sixth early. But a horse whose identity has been pace and speed — and whose form has been declining — is being asked to operate outside his natural style. The Champagne win came wire-to-wire. His two subsequent losses came when he was unable to dominate early. Asking him to close from off the pace at Laurel Park is asking him to do something his record does not support. Check the Belmont Stakes betting guide for the final Triple Crown leg this spring.
Here is the practical breakdown for how sharp bettors should think about using Napoleon Solo on a ticket at 8-1.
Win Single: Proceed with caution. The 121 Champagne figure is real but four starts. His current form — 96 in the Wood Memorial — does not support a win single at 8-1 in a Grade I. If you believe in the bounce-back scenario, a small play is defensible. Otherwise pass.
Exacta: Napoleon Solo underneath your top selection. His name recognition and Grade I pedigree mean he will attract public money. In the second slot of an exacta, he represents decent value if he runs back to anything close to his Champagne form.
Trifecta: Use Napoleon Solo in second and third positions rather than on top. His declining figures argue against using him as a trifecta key, but his 121 ceiling means he cannot be entirely dismissed from the board.
Superfecta: Include Napoleon Solo in the third and fourth slots of your $0.10 superfecta. The combination of his Grade I resume and current declining form makes him a classic superfecta inclusion — too good to ignore entirely, not good enough to anchor. Check the full horse betting guide for structuring exotic tickets efficiently.
For multi-leg plays across the Triple Crown, visit the bet on Preakness Stakes page and the Triple Crown bonus page at US Racing.
TDN @theTDN · 23h You could say these @PreaknessStakes contenders are raring to go... GI Champagne Stakes winner NAPOLEON SOLO (Liam's Map), trained by Chad Summers, looks to return to his winning ways in Saturday's Classic feature at Laurel Park.
Napoleon Solo in the Preakness Stakes
Napoleon Solo is noted as the only Grade 1 winner in the field, which is a significant point in his favor.
Napoleon Solo opened at 8-1 on the morning line for the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, 2026. He drew post position 10. The 8-1 reflects his 2025 Champagne (G1) win but also prices in his declining figures across his last four starts.
Napoleon Solo is trained by Chad Summers and ridden by P. López from post 10 at Laurel Park. Summers has wins at Belmont at Aqueduct and Saratoga with this horse and will be looking for a return to his juvenile form in the Preakness.
Napoleon Solo is best used in superfecta third and fourth slots and exacta underneath structures at 8-1. His declining form argues against making him a primary win single or trifecta key, but his Champagne credentials keep him relevant in exotic tickets. Visit the BC free bet page at US Racing for current promotions.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
