The second and shortest leg of the horse racing Triple Crown will take place on Saturday at the 2026 Preakness Stakes. For the first time since 1908, the Preakness Stakes will be held away from Pimlico Race Course, which is undergoing redevelopment. Instead, the race will take place at Laurel Park in Maryland.
The change of locale isn’t the only thing noteworthy about this year’s Preakness Stakes. This year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo, will not participate in the race. That means there will not be a new Triple Crown winner this summer, leaving Justify as the most recent horse to accomplish that feat in 2018. It also marks the second year in a row — and the third time in five years — that the Kentucky Derby winner will skip the Preakness Stakes.
One of the favorites this week is Iron Honor, who is trained by Chad Brown, who has twice won at this race. It’s the only Triple Crown race Brown has seen success at, where his horses won in 2017 and 2022. Iron Honor struggled in his penultimate race leading into the Preakness where he finished seventh at the Wood Memorial on April 7.
“[Iron Honor] appears to be getting into a positive space the last few weeks. We like what we’re seeing. He’s very live in the race,” Brown told BloodHorse.com. “I see it as a reset. He has a lot of things to prove. His two wins were at one turn and his worst race was at two turns. He’s certainly bred to run the Preakness distance, being by Nyquist out of a Blame mare. And he trains like he wants to go long.”
Saturday should be a beautiful one at the track with clear skies and warm temperatures expected. That should make for an intriguing race given the clean conditions, much like we saw at the Kentucky Derby, which led to a wide-open race and an incredible finish form Golden Tempo who went from the back of the pack to the winner’s circle down the stretch run.
Below is all you need for the 151st Preakness Stakes.
Where to watch the 2026 Preakness Stakes
Date: Saturday, May 16
Post time: 6:50 p.m. ET
Location: Laurel Park — Laurel, Maryland
TV: NBC | Stream: Peacock (subscription required)
2026 Preakness Stakes odds, listed by post position
Odds via FanDuel
1. Taj Mahal (5-1)
2. Ocelli (6-1)
3. Crupper (30-1)
4. Robusta (30-1)
5. Talkin (20-1)
6. Chip Honcho (5-1)
7. The Well He Did (15-1)
8. Bull By The Horns (30-1)
9. Iron Honor (9/2)
10. Napoleon Solo (8-1)
11. Corono De Oro (30-1)
12. Incredibolt (5-1)
13. Great White (15-1)
14. Pretty Boy Miah (15-1)
Where is the Preakness Stakes?
For 118 years, the Preakness States has been held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. However, that streak will end this year as the 2026 Preakness Stakes will run at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland while Pimlico undergoes a $400 million redevelopment.
How long is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is 1 3/16 miles long, making it the shortest leg of the American Triple Crown.
Which horse wins the Preakness Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Visit SportsLine to see Jody Demling’s picks for the Preakness Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed the last three winners.
