Two weeks after a shocking finish at the Kentucky Derby, the second leg of the 2026 Triple Crown takes place on Saturday. The legendary Woodlawn Vase is on the line at the 2026 Preakness Stakes, hosted at Laurel Park in Maryland, 30 miles south of Pimlico Race Course, which is undergoing needed renovations. Fourteen horses are lined up for Preakness Stakes 2026 with a post time of 6:50 p.m. ET.
Iron Honor stands as the morning-line favorite at 9-2 Preakness Stakes odds. Chad Brown’s entrant heads a strong group that also features Chip Honcho, Taj Mahal, and Incredibolt, all listed at 5-1. Before making any 2026 Preakness Stakes picks, be sure to see the 2026 Preakness Stakes predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling hit the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order. He also called 11 of the last 21 Preakness winners, including 2023, when he hit the winner, exacta, trifecta and superfecta. He hit the trifecta in the 2024 Preakness Stakes and nailed Journalism as the 2025 Preakness winner. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
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Now, with the 2026 Preakness Stakes field now set, Demling is sharing his 2026 Preakness Stakes betting picks and 2026 Preakness Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2026 Preakness Stakes predictions
One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Preakness Stakes picks: He is high on Napoleon Solo, even though he’s a longer shot at 8-1. Napoleon Solo won his first two career races, including the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct.
The last two races, Napoleon has faltered, taking fifth in both with diminished speed figures. Still, Demling admits he’s had his eye on this horse since the beginning of his career, and is excited to see him in the Preakness Stakes 2026. “I like that he arrived a bit early to get a feel for the track. … He’s not impossible if he gets the trip.” See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
Another surprise: He’s fading Chip Honcho, even though he’s one of the favorites at 5-1. He did finish second at the Risen Star Stakes and won the Gun Runner Stakes, but a fifth-place finish at the Louisiana Derby brings some concerns about his ability to compete against this field.
“Trainer Steve Asmussen felt like the Derby was too much for the son of Connect. But does he fit any better with this group?” Demling said. See which other horses to fade at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Preakness Stakes picks, bets
Demling is also especially high on an epic double-digit longshot “with a chance” to win it all. Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Preakness Stakes leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Preakness Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Preakness Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Preakness Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed the last three winners.
