Preakness 2026: 4 keys on Saturday's undercard
Preakness 2026 offers strong wagering opportunities, but leveraging your bankroll in the races leading up to the Preakness is every bit as important. The 14-race card at Laurel Park on Saturday might not have the star power of the typical Kentucky Derby or Belmont Stakes undercard, but it does offer nine stakes races and multiple wide-open Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 sequences.
Below I analyze four horses who are not favored in their respective races who should be included or possibly singled in these horizontal sequences. These runners are the keys to a successful Saturday of wagering at Laurel Park.
Master Sommelier, no. 4, 4-1, race 4
This gelding makes his third start off a layoff after a deceptively good effort at Keeneland last out as he did not get a clear run until late. He has should appreciate shortening to a mile and has the tactical speed to sit a nice trip in a race that lacks a standout. Most runners in this field have been facing strictly local competition, and his experience against higher-level competition makes him the horse to beat.
Final Story, no. 4, 2-1, Sir Barton Stakes, race 6
Irad Ortiz Jr. and Brad Cox team up with this well-bred son of Grade 1 winner Book Review. He broke his maiden in his second start in commanding fashion and looks to be on his way to bigger and better things as a late-developing 3-year-old. Though 2-1 is a short price, it seems like value considering Reagan's Honor is 7-5. Reagan's Honor was dreadful in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) last out and has run only one race in four career starts that would put him in the same league as Final Story. Reagan's Honor needs to have the lead, and I trust the versatility and upside of Final Story more. I will be singling Final Story on all tickets.
Zihnal, no. 3, 6-1, James W. Murphy Stakes, race 9
This gelding will attempt to break his maiden in stakes company, but he should not be discounted. Augustin Stables and Jonathan Thomas clearly think highly of this horse to place him in this spot, and Irad Ortiz Jr. jumps aboard. He was well-backed on debut as he went off at only 7-2 while routing in a fast maiden race at Santa Anita. He ran well that day on dirt, earning a 88 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, comfortably the highest in the field. Thomas strikes at 25% with horses making their second start and is 30% over the last five years going dirt-to-turf. This gelding's dam finished first or second in 10 of 16 starts on the turf and never ran on dirt, indicating this runner should improve on the surface switch. He catches a soft field and looks like a potential single at a nice price.
Jean Valjean, no. 3, 5-1, Jim McKay Turf Sprint, race 12
The speedy local hope will try to take the field gate-to-wire in this turf sprint, and it would be no surprise to see him do just that. He has four romping wins from seven tries on the turf. One of his losses came after breaking slowly, one came off a long layoff and one came by just a head against good company in New York. This gelding already has a pair of wins over this course, and Flavien Prat takes the mount for Elizabeth Merryman. There is a surprisingly low amount of early speed signed on for this turf sprint, and no one in this field is faster than this runner early. He should be long gone on the front.