Preakness Best Bets: 3 Picks and Predictions for the 2026 Preakness

The 2026 Preakness Stakes is coming up Saturday, May 16, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. Though the race historically happens at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Pimlico is being rebuilt, so the race will be run for the first and only time at Laurel this year. In 2027, it will return to its historic home, newly updated.

Aside from the venue change, there is a lot that is still similar about the Preakness. It’s still a $2 million race. It’s still a 1 3/16-mile test on the dirt. And, it still drew an exciting field of three-year-olds ready to prove their stamina and try for a place in horse racing history.

Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is not going to the Preakness; trainer Cherie DeVaux announced a few days after the race that, in the interest of his long-term future, he would get five weeks of spacing and return in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. It is the same route Bill Mott took with Sovereignty when he bypassed last year’s Preakness.

However, especially for the betting public, there is a silver lining to this. There’s no overwhelming favorite in the field, so a lot of connections of Triple Crown-nominated horses are taking their shot. The field is a wide-open group of 14. Only three horses contested the Kentucky Derby. The likely favorite, Iron Honor, is still just 9-2 in the morning-line odds – five of the 14 horses are between that and 6-1. The top of the market will be very close, and anyone who solves the puzzle of the 2026 Preakness Stakes will be paid well.

These three horses are all toward the top of the market – but with such a competitive field, none of them will be a very short price. And, even in competitive years like this, betting on Preakness Stakes horses successfully requires some respect for a good horse near the top of the betting board. Still, Preakness history shows that there’s often a long shot who sweetens an exacta bet or trifecta bet, too – and for building your exotic picks, make sure to check out our Dark Horse Preakness Picks!

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Preakness Predictions, Picks and Best Bets for 2026

Incredibolt (5-1 ML)

There was a lot of early speed in the Kentucky Derby, and some horses got luckier than others. Incredibolt was one of the unlucky ones. He got a good spot well off the pace, but when it was time to come with a run in the lane, jockey Jaime Torres had to send Incredibolt out of his way around a long line of horses before he could start making his rally. Despite losing that ground he gained down the lane, he crossed the wire sixth, just four lengths behind Golden Tempo.

Incredibolt wasn’t even in the Preakness Stakes conversation until just before Monday’s draw, when news broke that trainer Riley Mott was entering him. It looks like a brilliant move on his part. From a pace perspective, the Preakness field looks a lot like the Kentucky Derby field: a lot of these horses need to be on the early lead or close to it. Mott had a horse in good form who would benefit from that kind of pace setup. He also knew, from the way he finished in the Kentucky Derby, that 1 ¼ miles was fine and 1 3/16 miles should suit him, too. Why not take a shot in a $2 million race that looks like it sets up so well for him?

Incredibolt is drawn in post 12 in the field of 14. But, as a late runner, there’s a good chance for him to be able to find somewhere to drop in toward the back before the field hits the turn without losing too much ground early. And, the near-outside post could help him avoid early chaos in a large field. Laurel Park tends to play fairly to horses running from outside gates, adding yet another reason why the Preakness looks like a nice spot for Incredbolt.

Ocelli (6-1 ML)

Six horses have broken their maidens in the Preakness, but none has done it since Refund in 1888. Though he has 138 years of history to reverse? It still would not come as a big surprise to see Ocelli get his diploma in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Of course, Ocelli won’t be the longest shot on the board in the Preakness, but instead one of the horses toward the top of the Preakness odds board. But, there’s a lot to like about his third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. He settled off the fast pace, got moving early enough to get into contention, even led late, and just got overtaken by Golden Tempo and Renegade late.

Perhaps if the pace in the Preakness were slow or even modest, it would be good to take a stand against Ocelli running anything like his last. But, the pace sets up as well for him in the Preakness Stakes as it did in the Kentucky Derby. He keeps jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who gave him such a brilliant ride in the Kentucky Derby, in the irons. And, the slight cut back in distance should play perfectly for Ocelli.

The biggest concern for this Whit Beckman trainee is the post position: he drew post 2 in a 14-horse field, which could be a recipe for chaos. Even so, he is a closer, so the start is a bit less important than it would be if he needed early position, and he has been able to overcome less-than-perfect breaks and still run well, as he did when he was third in the Wood Memorial (G2).

Taj Mahal (5-1 ML)

Trainer Brittany Russell has become a Maryland mainstay, one of the top trainers at Laurel Park and Pimlico. She got some national-level exposure with Post Time, a millionaire who won the Carter (G2) and was runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Now, she has her first three-year-old Classic starter with Taj Mahal, who earned his way into the Preakness after winning the Federico Tesio Stakes, a 1 ⅛-mile race at the same Laurel Park location as the Preakness will be run this year.

In a race with so much speed, Taj Mahal is a wild card. After all, he has plenty of speed, and both of his stakes wins have come on the front end. But, he was able to battle through a prolonged duel and still find enough to win by a neck. Then, his Tesio win was a bizarre masterpiece. He started by racing keenly and opening up a yawning lead on the field. Then, he settled well enough under jockey Sheldon Russell to let the field come back to him. Finally, in the lane, he found enough gas to open up a huge lead once again, winning by 8 ¼ lengths.

So, from the rail, maybe he tries to steal it like he did the Tesio. Maybe he has to fight for it. Or, perhaps, he rallies from off the pace like he did on debut? That was a six-furlong race, but it showed he could overcome a slow start and reel his opposition in. He’s speed, he’s talented speed…but he’s not cheap speed or even one-way speed. And, he could be the one who gets ignored in the betting because he has Maryland connections and not famous national ones.

Check out the best Preakness longshot picks for 2026.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.