HorseCenter: Previewing the 2026 Preakness Stakes field

Fresh off a thrilling late run and historic victory by Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman race forward in the Triple Crown series this week on HorseCenter. The $2 million Preakness Stakes will be run at Laurel Park this year and will feature a field made up largely of horses who did not start in the run for the roses.

With both the Cherie DeVaux-trained upset winner, as well as Renegade, the strong runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, skipping the middle jewel to wait for the Belmont Stakes, the unbeaten Crude Velocity looks to be a solid favorite if he runs in the Preakness. The impressive winner of the Pat Day Mile (G2) is perfect in three starts and from the barn of eight-time Preakness winner Bob Baffert.

Listed in alphabetical order and including our early odds, let’s take a look at the horses pointing for the Preakness Stakes on May 16.

Bull by the Horns (30-1), Saffie Joseph Jr.

Brian: After running a pretty dismal seventh in the Fountain of Youth (G2), this son of Essential Quality bounced back with a strong late run to win the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park on the all-weather surface. He looks to be a long shot against these, however.

Matt: Bull by the Horns was entered in the Peter Pan (G3) at Aqueduct, which is a prep for the Belmont Stakes. But with the top Derby finishers pointing to the third leg of the Triple Crown, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will scratch and go to the Preakness.

Chip Honcho (12-1), Steve Asmussen. 

Brian: He didn’t have the best of trips in the Louisiana Derby (G2), but with plenty of speed signed on for this one, I don’t know if things will get any easier for him.

Matt: Chip Honcho had two wins last year, including the first stop on the Fair Grounds road to the Derby. He faced Golden Tempo in the other three Derby preps in New Orleans and finished ahead of the Derby winner only once, in the Risen Star (G2).

Crude Velocity (9-5), Bob Baffert. 

Brian: Sensational is the word that first comes to mind to describe this colt’s first three starts. But backing him as the favorite when he makes his first start around two turns is less than appealing.

Matt: His victory in the Pat Day Mile was fast and visually impressive, giving Baffert a 3-year-old who has racing fans wondering just how good he could be. Baffert won the Preakness most recently in 2023 with National Treasure.

Corona de Oro (40-1), Dallas Stewart.

Brian: The son of Bolt d’Oro is improving for trainer Dallas Stewart, but he was a bit disappointing with his lack of fight down the stretch in the Lexington (G3).

Matt: Stewart has had long shots hit the board in Triple Crown races in the past. This guy broke his maiden in his fourth try with a front-end effort in a field of five.

Crupper (40-1), Donnie Von Hemel. 

Brian: I saw him win the Bathhouse Row Stakes last time at Oaklawn. Although it was a step forward for the well-bred colt, this will be a significantly tougher field.

Matt: Crupper spent the winter at Oaklawn, and his early races were slow, including his maiden win in February and a subsequent third-place finish in an allowance. He would have to make another big step forward to be competitive in a Grade 1.

Express Kid (30-1), Justin Evans. 

Brian: Away since a game near-miss in the Sunland Park Derby, this Bodexpress colt has really improved in his last three starts. He should add to a lively early pace.

Matt: This California-bred finished first or second in five of his six, including a Derby-trail victory in the Springboard Mile and the second at Sunland in February. This would be his first start east of the Mississippi River and his first in a graded stakes.

Great White (20-1), John Ennis.

Brian: That was a scary flip behind the Kentucky Derby starting gate. I am glad he appears to be none the worse for wear. I have mixed feelings about his chances here, as there does appear to be some talent.

Matt: Great White got his name because of his enormous size, almost 18 hands. Putting his late Derby scratch aside, he had a pair of good wins at Turfway Park but then weakened badly after setting the pace in the Blue Grass (G1).

Iron Honor (10-1), Chad Brown. 

Brian: I hated his trip into the first turn of the Wood Memorial (G2), and I am expecting a big improvement this time around. I consider the son of Nyquist to be a dangerous new shooter in the Preakness no matter who runs.

Matt: Chad Brown won the Preakness with Cloud Computing in 2018 and Early Voting in 2022. Both of them skipped the Kentucky Derby after running in the Wood but not winning that final Derby prep race at Aqueduct.

Napoleon Solo (15-1), Chad Summers. 

Brian: He hung around reasonably well in the Wood Memorial after making all the pace and will be making his third start of the year. He could be the speed of the speed in the Preakness, but I don’t know whether that is a good thing in this race.

Matt: One more try racing around two turns as a 3-year-old for the Grade 1 winner Napoleon Solo. He had a poor start in the Fountain of Youth and set the pace in the Wood to finish fifth in both of those Derby points races. 

Ocelli (12-1), Whit Beckman.

Brian: He rallied pretty nicely in the Wood Memorial but came up short late and then rallied even better in the Kentucky Derby before being passed late. I don’t think he can be ignored in the Preakness. 

Matt: It needs to be said that even though Ocelli finished third in the Kentucky Derby and the Wood Memorial, he is still a maiden after seven starts. Granted he is graded-stakes placed as a maiden and shockingly had the lead in the stretch at Churchill Downs as a 70-1 long shot.

Pretty Boy Miah (40-1), Jeremiah Engelhart.

Brian: With no stakes earnings, he will need a few on this list not to run to get into the field. He certainly is on the improve but has been beating up on lesser at Aqueduct.

Matt: If he were to get into the field, the Preakness would be his first race around two turns and his first in any kind of stakes race.

Robusta (40-1), Doug O’Neill.

Brian: Sent off at 70-1 in the Kentucky Derby, he was never in contention and finished 14th of 18. This will be a softer field, but I still see him more as a possible pace factor than a true contender.

Matt: Robusta has only one win in six starts, and that was a maiden race in January against a field of five. He is yet another one in this field who prefers to run on or near the lead.

Silent Tactic (6-1). Mark Casse.

Brian: Consistent and battle-tested for trainer Mark Casse, I thought he had a real shot in the Kentucky Derby before his scratch. If he is fit and healthy for the Preakness, I once again will consider him a serious contender.

Matt: It will be only two weeks since Silent Tactic was scratched from a start in the Derby because of ongoing foot problems. So it is unlikely that those issues will be completely healed by the Preakness. 

Taj Mahal (5-1), Brittany Russell. 

Brian: The local horse has looked quite good in winning his first three starts for the husband-wife team of Brittany and Sheldon Russell. The last one looked like a real step forward, but this will represent a major class test.

Matt: Taj Mahal is undefeated in three starts at Laurel. He was the favorite in his maiden in February, and two weeks later he won the Miracle Wood. Last month he won a spot into the Preakness when he overwhelmed a field of 10 in the Federico Tesio. 

Talkin (30-1), Danny Gargan. 

Brian: I liked the son of Good Magic’s first two career starts, but unfortunately, he has just not moved forward since then. I am not excited for his chances in the Preakness.

Matt: Since his debut maiden win at Saratoga, Talkin has chased some of the best 3-year-olds in four races on the Kentucky Derby trail. He will face more of the same in a Triple Crown race.

The Hell We Did (20-1), Todd Fincher. 

Brian: This colt is interesting after sticking around for second in the Lexington following only a trio of sprints at smaller tracks. He could be ready for another step forward, but this is not an easy spot. 

Matt: If this son of Authentic gets to the Preakness, it will be his first race in the east. He has done nothing wrong with a pair of wins and seconds in his four starts. He ran in two large fields as a 2-year-old and went two turns at Keeneland. He could be a live long shot.