| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden Tempo | SCR |
| Silent Tactic | TBD |
| Crude Velocity | TBD |
| Chip Honcho | TBD |
| Iron Honor | TBD |
| Talkin | TBD |
| Ottinho | TBD |
| Cherokee Nation | TBD |
| Napoleon Solo | TBD |
| Taj Mahal | TBD |
| Great White | TBD |
Last Updated on 05/06/2026
The Preakness Stakes is the second jewel of the Triple Crown and one of the most eagerly anticipated betting events in American horse racing. Run just two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness draws a fresh mix of Derby returnees and new challengers — creating a dynamic, often unpredictable field that rewards sharp handicapping and savvy exotic play. US Racing is your home for everything you need to bet smarter on the 2026 Preakness Stakes.
The 2026 Preakness Stakes runs on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, with a post time of approximately 7:01 PM ET and a $2 million purse. The race is contested at 1 3/16 miles over dirt by three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Whether you're making your first-ever Preakness bet or you're a seasoned handicapper looking to maximize value in the exotic bets, this guide covers every wager type, strategy, and edge available in 2026.
BUSR offers the most comprehensive Preakness Stakes betting menu, including fixed-odds win betting, full pari-mutuel exotic wagers, and live race streaming. Lock in your price before the market moves — or wait for race-day value. The choice is yours.
The Preakness Stakes offers the full spectrum of wagering options available at Laurel Park. From a simple $2 win bet to a multi-leg Pick 6 spanning the entire late card, here is every bet type you can place, explained in plain language with real 2026 Preakness examples.
| Bet Name | Wager Type | Difficulty | Example | Odds Range | Payout Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Straight | ⭐ Beginner | Golden Tempo wins the race | 4-1 to 80-1 | Moderate |
| Place | Straight | ⭐ Beginner | Golden Tempo finishes 1st or 2nd | 2-1 to 30-1 | Low-Mod |
| Show | Straight | ⭐ Beginner | Golden Tempo finishes 1st, 2nd, or 3rd | 1-1 to 10-1 | Low |
| Exacta | Exotic | ⭐⭐ Intermediate | Golden Tempo 1st, Crude Velocity 2nd (in order) | 10-1 to 200-1 | Moderate |
| Exacta Box | Exotic | ⭐⭐ Intermediate | Golden Tempo / Crude Velocity — either order | 10-1 to 100-1 | Moderate |
| Quinella | Exotic | ⭐⭐ Intermediate | Any combo: Golden Tempo + Crude Velocity 1st & 2nd | 8-1 to 80-1 | Moderate |
| Trifecta | Exotic | ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced | Golden Tempo 1st, Crude Velocity 2nd, Silent Tactic 3rd | 50-1 to 2000-1 | High |
| Trifecta Box | Exotic | ⭐⭐ Intermediate | Any 3 horses in any order for 1st/2nd/3rd | 30-1 to 500-1 | High |
| Superfecta | Exotic | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Expert | Exact 1-2-3-4: Golden Tempo/Crude Velocity/Silent Tactic/Potente | 100-1 to 5000-1 | Very High |
| $0.10 Superfecta | Exotic | ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced | 10-cent minimum — popular Derby wager | 100-1+ | Very High |
| Pick 3 | Multi-Race | ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced | Win races 9, 10, 11 (including Preakness) | 50-1 to 500-1 | High |
| Pick 4 | Multi-Race | ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced | Win 4 consecutive races ending with Preakness | 100-1+ | Very High |
| Pick 5 | Multi-Race | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Expert | Win 5 consecutive races | 200-1+ | Massive |
| Pick 6 | Multi-Race | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Expert | Win 6 consecutive races (carryover jackpot) | 500-1+ | Massive |
| Win (Fixed) | Fixed Odds | ⭐ Beginner | Golden Tempo at BUSR fixed 5-1 — guaranteed payout | Fixed | Guaranteed |
Win, Place, and Show are the foundational wagers for any bettor. A Win bet pays only if your horse finishes first. A Place bet pays if your horse finishes first or second. A Show bet pays if your horse finishes in the top three. The trade-off: safety comes at the cost of payout size. Show bets on 3-1 shots at a $2 million-purse Preakness may return less than your stake after take-out.
| Pro Tip: In a typical Preakness field, Show bets rarely offer value — the pool is heavily bet, and the pari-mutuel take-out erodes your edge. Straight Win bets on mid-price horses (8-1 to 20-1) generally offer the best single-horse risk/reward ratio. In 2025, a $2 Win bet on Sovereignty (7-1) paid $17.96 — illustrating how Win bets on the right price deliver far more upside than Show bets on the same horse. |
Exotic bets require you to select multiple horses in the same race. The Exacta asks you to predict the first two finishers in exact order. The Trifecta adds a third horse, and the Superfecta a fourth. 'Boxing', a combination — selecting horses in any order — increases your chances but multiplies your stake. For example, a $1 Exacta box using 3 horses costs $6 (six possible combinations at $1 each). The Preakness is one of the best Triple Crown races for exotics because its focused field regularly produces unexpected placers that generate massive payouts.
2025 Derby Trifecta payout: Sovereignty / Journalism / Baeza — $1 Trifecta paid $231.12.
2025 Derby Superfecta payout: Sovereignty / Journalism / Baeza / Final Gambit — $1 Superfecta paid $1,682.27. Preakness exotics regularly produce strong multi-figure payouts as well.
| Pro Tip: Use the $0.10 Superfecta box to cover multiple combinations at a low cost. A 5-horse Superfecta box at $0.10 costs $12 (120 combinations) and can return thousands if three longshots land in the top four. |
Multi-race bets require you to pick the winner of consecutive races, typically including the Preakness as the anchor race. Laurel Park structures its late Preakness Day card to include a Pick 4 and Pick 5 ending with the Preakness, and a Pick 6 spanning the final six races. Minimum wagers are often as low as $0.50 or $1.00. Pick 6 wagers carry a mandatory carryover payout at Laurel Park if no one picks all six winners — creating jackpot opportunities on Preakness Day.
| BUSR Advantage: BUSR gives access to Laurel Park's full multi-race pools with rebate programs that effectively reduce your take-out — critical for multi-race players who bet high volume. |
BUSR is built for serious Preakness bettors. From locking in fixed-odds prices weeks before post time to placing a $0.10 Superfecta on race day, everything you need is in one place — with same-day payouts and no download required.
| Fixed Odds | Lock in your price before post time. The odds you bet are the odds you get paid — no tote fluctuation, no surprises. |
|---|---|
| Full Exotics | Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Pick 3/4/5/6 — every wager type available in one platform. |
| Preakness Futures | Bet the Derby winner now at today’s prices. Lock in value before the final preps compress the market. |
| Fast Payouts | 24-hour Bitcoin payouts. Crypto-friendly deposits. Winnings in your account the same day you collect. |
| Racebook Rebate | Industry-leading 10% Racebook rebate. More tracks than anyone. Every race, every day. |
| No Download | Bet from your browser on desktop or mobile. No app required — full wagering capability on race day from anywhere. |
The Preakness Stakes is a unique handicapping challenge — Derby returnees carry known form while fresh shooters add uncertainty and overlay opportunity. A focused field with established favorites and well-priced longshots means the right strategy can generate significant profit. Here is a systematic approach to Preakness betting in 2026.
| Strategy | How It Works | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Fade the Favorite | The post-time favorite wins the Preakness Stakes approximately 35% of the time. With Golden Tempo entering off a Kentucky Derby win and Crude Velocity carrying strong form, favorites can be overbet by the public. Structuring exotics with mid-priced horses like Silent Tactic or Talkin can generate significant overlay value. | Medium Risk |
| Trainer/Jockey Angles | Focus on trainers with proven Derby records: Baffert (Potente, Cherokee Nation), Brown (Iron Honor, Napoleon Solo), Asmussen (Chip Honcho). Prioritize connections who have navigated Laurel Park’s tight 1 3/16-mile oval. Jockey experience on the Laurel Park surface remains a measurable competitive edge. | Low-Medium Risk |
| Speed Figure Handicapping | Use Beyer Speed Figures or Equibase Speed Ratings as a baseline. Crude Velocity’s 129 Equibase figure from the Pat Day Mile and Golden Tempo’s Kentucky Derby-winning 109 stand as the field’s benchmarks. Horses that peak with career-best figures in their final start consistently outperform their odds at Laurel Park. | Low Risk |
| Prep Race Form | Consider how recent form translates to Laurel Park's 1 3/16-mile distance. Derby returnees bring proven form on a similar surface; fresh shooters like Taj Mahal (winner of the Federico Tesio) add intrigue at potentially generous prices. Monitor the final entry list closely as Preakness fields can shift dramatically before post time. | Low Risk |
| Post Position Analysis | Laurel Park's first turn comes up quickly, putting a premium on clean trips from posts 4-9. Outside draws force horses wide early and add ground at a distance that already tests stamina. Wait for the post-position draw before finalizing your exacta/trifecta structures. | Low Risk |
| Dutching / Win Multiple | If you identify 3-4 contenders at big prices, divide a fixed budget across all of them. Target horses like Potente, Silent Tactic, or Taj Mahal who offer 10-1+ odds. Win on one, and the return covers the losses of the others while netting a strong profit. | Medium Risk |
| Exotic Wheeling | Use a strong opinion horse 'on top' of a wider spread in the second slot. Example: Key Golden Tempo 1st over 4 horses in an Exacta part-wheel for $4 total exposure. This isolates your winner while covering multiple longshot scenarios. | Medium Risk |
| Longshot + Place Insurance | Back a 25-1+ longshot to Win for profit potential, then cover the same horse to Place. If they finish second, the Place bet recovers most of your Win stake. Net cost is reduced; the net return remains significant on a partial hit. | Medium-High Risk |
Understanding potential payouts before you bet is essential to sizing your wagers intelligently. The table below shows indicative payouts for common Preakness wager types based on current 2026 odds. Payout figures for exotics are illustrative estimates — actual pari-mutuel returns depend on the betting public's distribution of money.
| Wager | Stake | Approx. Odds | Profit | Total Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win $10 on 5-1 (Golden Tempo) | $10 | 5-1 | $50 profit | $60 total return |
| Win $20 on 8-1 (Crude Velocity) | $20 | 8-1 | $160 profit | $180 total return |
| Win $50 on 12-1 (Silent Tactic) | $50 | 12-1 | $600 profit | $650 total return |
| Exacta: Golden Tempo / Crude Velocity | $10 | Est. ~10-1 | $100 profit | $110 total return |
| Trifecta Box (3 horses) $1 | $6 | Est. ~70-1 | $420 profit | $426 total return |
| $1 Superfecta Box (4 horses) | $24 | Est. ~180-1 | $4,320 profit | $4,344 total return |
| $0.50 Pick 5 (all 5 races) | $0.50 | Est. ~450-1 | $225 profit | $225.50 total return |
Important: Pari-mutuel payouts shown above are estimates based on current market odds. Actual returns fluctuate with pool size and late-money action. Fixed-odds payouts at BUSR are guaranteed at the time you place your bet — the column above reflects exactly what you would collect on a BUSR fixed-odds win wager at today's prices.
| Fixed Odds Advantage: If Golden Tempo shortens from 5-1 to 3-1 as the consensus Preakness favorite, a BUSR fixed-odds bet placed today at 5-1 still pays 5-1. Locking in early prices on top contenders before the field is finalized is one of the highest-value actions a Preakness bettor can take. |
Futures betting allows you to wager on the Preakness Stakes winner weeks before the race, often at significantly better odds than you will find on race day. The 2026 Preakness futures market shifts rapidly in the two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Laurel Park — and several horses have already moved dramatically.
The Preakness futures market moves faster than any other Triple Crown race because the two-week turnaround compresses the pricing window dramatically. Laurel Park's official future wager pools open in the days after the Kentucky Derby and close before the final field is set. Monitor the market closely — significant line moves often occur as Derby connections announce their Preakness intentions.
BUSR offers fixed-odds futures on the Preakness Stakes winner, allowing you to lock in a guaranteed return regardless of race-day tote movement. This is especially valuable in the days after the Derby, when prices on Preakness-bound longshots are at their most generous before the public focuses on Laurel Park. Current BUSR fixed-odds prices mirror the open market. The table below shows the current 2026 Preakness field with ratings and status.
The best fixed-odds futures plays are horses like Silent Tactic and Taj Mahal, who offer double-digit prices with legitimate form. Locking in before their odds compress is one of the highest-value actions a Preakness bettor can take.
Race day at Laurel Park and via online platforms is a high-volume, fast-moving market. The Preakness handle is concentrated, and the field is smaller than the Derby, which means odds can move significantly with late money — and this creates both opportunities and risks for the prepared bettor.
The Laurel Park surface condition — fast, good, muddy, sloppy, or heavy — is one of the most important late-breaking variables in Preakness betting. Track variants can shift the outcome significantly and alter the betting strategy:
| Weather Watch: Check the Baltimore weather forecast on the Friday before the race. If rain is predicted, reconsider any win bets on pure speed horses and expand your Trifecta coverage to include horses with mudder breeding. |
Horses can be scratched (withdrawn) from the Preakness field up to one hour before post time. If a horse you have wagered on is scratched from a straight bet, you typically receive a full refund. In multi-race wagers (Pick 3, Pick 4), a scratched horse is generally replaced by the mutuel field or the race's betting favorite, depending on track rules. Always confirm BUSR's scratch policy before constructing multi-race tickets.
The Preakness Stakes is an exciting event and a legitimate opportunity to profit through skilled handicapping. US Racing encourages all bettors to approach the Preakness with a clear budget and a structured plan. Here are our foundational responsible betting principles:
A: To bet on the Preakness Stakes online, create an account at an online racebook such as BUSR. Fund your account, navigate to the Preakness Stakes race, select your horse(s), choose your bet type (Win, Exacta, Trifecta, etc.), and confirm your wager. BUSR offers both pari-mutuel tote wagering and fixed-odds win bets. Minimum wagers start at $1 for straight bets and as low as $0.10 for Superfecta combinations.
A: The minimum wager varies by bet type and platform. At Laurel Park and most ADWs, including BUSR, the Win/Place/Show minimum is $1. Exacta and Trifecta minimums are $1. Superfecta minimums can be as low as $0.10, making it possible to cover many combinations with a small total investment. Multi-race minimums (Pick 3/4/5/6) range from $0.50 to $2 per combination.
A: The Win bet is the most commonly placed wager on Preakness Day by number of tickets. However, the Exacta box is the most popular exotic bet — it is accessible to beginners, requires picking only two horses, and can return substantial payouts when a longshot places. The $0.10 Superfecta attracts significant handle on Preakness Day as well.
A: An Exacta box covers all possible first-and-second order combinations among your selected horses. A 2-horse Exacta box costs $2 (covers 2 combinations at $1 each). A 3-horse Exacta box costs $6 (6 combinations). A 4-horse Exacta box costs $12. For the 2026 Preakness, a $1 Exacta box using Golden Tempo / Crude Velocity / Silent Tactic costs $6 and pays if any two of those three horses finish 1-2 in any order.
A: Yes. BUSR offers fixed-odds wagering on the Preakness Stakes, which means your payout is guaranteed at the price shown when you place your bet. If Golden Tempo is listed at 5-1 on BUSR and you bet $50, you will receive $250 profit plus your $50 stake back — regardless of how tote odds change on race day. This is a major advantage over pari-mutuel wagering, where odds can compress significantly with late money.
A: Multi-horse exotic bets — particularly the Trifecta, Superfecta, and Pick 6 — offer the largest potential payouts. In 2025, the $1 Kentucky Derby Superfecta paid $1,682.27. The Preakness Superfecta regularly produces four-figure payouts as well, and the Pick 6 pool at Laurel Park creates jackpot opportunities when no one hits all six legs. For bettors targeting maximum return, Superfecta boxes and Pick 5/6 sequences offer the most upside.
A: Preakness Stakes futures betting is available in the days following the Kentucky Derby. BUSR's fixed-odds platform opens Preakness lines as soon as Derby horses announce their intentions to point to Laurel Park. Betting early — before the official entry deadline — allows you to lock in favorable odds before the public focuses on the race.
A: If your horse is scratched from a straight Win, Place, or Show bet, you receive a full refund of your wager. In multi-race wagers (Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6), a scratched horse is typically replaced by the track's designated substitute, usually the post-time betting favorite for that race. For Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta tickets, a scratch in the same race may result in the ticket being refunded or replaced per the platform's house rules. Confirm BUSR's specific scratch rules before placing multi-race tickets.
A: Online horse race wagering laws vary by state and country. We recommend checking your local regulations before registering. Visit BUSR's website for information on availability in your area.
When is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, May 16th, 2026
Where can I bet on the Preakness Stakes?
At BUSR: Odds are Live!
What channel is the Preakness Stakes on?
Watch the Preakness Stakes live on TV with NBC at 5:00 pm EST
Pimlico, Preakness Stakes, Black Eyed Susan, Maryland Jockey Club are registered trademarks of The Stronach Group or its affiliates (collectively Stronach Group). Stronach Group does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with US Racing or its products, services or promotions. US Racing provides free information, odds, facts and commentary about the Preakness Stakes and horse racing and betting, in general. Third party marks may be referenced in a transformative, editorial, informational, nominative, critical, analytical or comparative context. US Racing may reference marks belonging to third parties pursuant to our right to engage in fair use, fair comment, statutory fair use or trade mark fair use doctrine. As such, US Racing does not contribute to any dilution of any trade or service marks. US Racing provides this information in an effort to educate and grow the sport of thoroughbred racing in North America with an emphasis on attracting new fans of the sport.
