One of the most wide-open fields in Preakness Stakes history is set with Iron Honor, the slight 9-2 morning-line favorite in a full field of 14 3-year-olds for the 151st edition of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
With Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Golden Tempo bypassing the Preakness to better prepare for the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 6, Chad Brown-trained Iron Honor is the one to beat in Saturday’s 1 3/16-mile race being held at Laurel Park for the first time.
Iron Honor, winner of the Gotham Stakes (G3) but seventh in the Wood Memorial (G2), leaves from gate 9 under top jockey Flavien Prat.
“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,’’ said Brown, a two-time Preakness winner. “But I am not surprised that he fits in this race.
“[Post 9 is] fine. Right in the middle, we should not have any excuse from there.”
By race day – post time for the Preakness is 6:50 p.m. ET – he might not be the top choice: Tri-second choices at 5-1 are Taj Mahal, Chip Honcho, and Incredibolt.
Taj Mahal could land the favorite’s role since the undefeated colt is 3-0, all at Laurel, and trained by Maryland’s leading trainer, Brittany Russell, bidding to become the first female conditioner to win the Preakness two weeks after Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Derby. Taj Mahal, who will be ridden by Sheldon Russell, drew the rail, the one spot Russell hoped to avoid.
“You know it’s funny. I said to myself the only spot I was hoping not to be was the rail,’’ she said. “It’s OK. It’s all good. When I saw that [5-1 odds] I thought, ‘Cool, he’s getting some respect.’ That’s nice to see.”
Chip Honcho, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, bidding for his own Triple Crown after riding Golden Tempo to victory in the Derby. Fifth in the Louisiana Derby (G2) in his last start, Chip Honcho breaks from post 6 – the winningest post in Preakness history (18; Seize the Grey in 2024 was the most recent).
Incredibolt, a last-minute entry from trainer Riley Mott, is one of three Derby runners back in two weeks for the Preakness. He finished sixth in the Derby after being taken wide and then bumping with Renegade at the 3/16ths pole.
“I hope we run the way they like us in the odds,’’ Mott said. “Anytime you are in a Triple Crown race, and you have odds of 5-1, it is a great opportunity. We are going to try to get the job done.”
The other Derby runners entered include winless Ocelli (6-1), who ran an amazing third at 70-1 odds in the Run for the Roses, and Robusta (30-1), who finished 14th.
This Preakness may be wide open for bettors, creating amazing opportunities for a big score, but it could be one of the weakest fields based on past performances.
First off, there’s only one Grade 1 stakes winner in the field – Napoleon Solo (8-1), winner of the Champagne Stakes as a 2-year-old. There are only three graded stakes winners in the field – Iron Honor, Incredibolt, and Napoleon Solo.
How is a horse that finished seventh in the Wood, behind third-place finisher Ocelli, even the early favorite? (Likely has never happened). He’s the first maiden in the Preakness since Bodemeister finished second in 2012.
And when’s the last time the “local’’ horse won the Preakness? (Deputed Testamony in 1983).
There’s also Great White at 15-1, a huge gray gelding who flipped and tossed rider Alex Achard behind the starting gate as the field was being loaded into position.
Most of the top 3-year-olds are not running: Golden Tempo, Derby runner-up Renegade, along with Grade 1 winners Commandment, So Happy, Further Ado, and unbeaten Crude Velocity, winner of the Pat Day Mile (G2) on Derby Day for trainer Bob Baffert.
In fact, the nine-time Preakness-winning trainer won’t have a horse in the race for just the third time in the last 16 years.
| 2026 Preakness Stakes Odds and Post Positions | ||
| PP | Horse / Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taj MahalSheldon Russell | 5/1 |
| 2 | OcelliTyler Gaffalione | 6/1 |
| 3 | CrupperJunior Alvarado | 30/1 |
| 4 | RobustaRafael Bejarano | 30/1 |
| 5 | TalkinIrad Ortiz Jr. | 20/1 |
| 6 | Chip HonchoJose Ortiz | 5/1 |
| 7 | The Hell We DidLuis Saez | 15/1 |
| 8 | Bull by the HornsMicah Husbands | 30/1 |
| 9 | Iron HonorFlavien Prat | 9/2 |
| 10 | Napoleon SoloPaco Lopez | 8/1 |
| 11 | Corona de OroJohn Velazquez | 30/1 |
| 12 | IncrediboltJaime Torres | 5/1 |
| 13 | Great WhiteAlex Achard | 15/1 |
| 14 | Pretty Boy MiahRicardo Santana Jr. | 15/1 |
Last Updated on 05/11/2026
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
