How Big Are Preakness Stakes Jockeys? (Height & Weight of 2026 Participants)

The 151st Preakness Stakes happens Saturday, May 16, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. The race attracted a full field of 14. It usually happens at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, but it is moving for a year while the historic home of the Preakness is rebuilt.

The 1 3/16-mile dirt race is the second jewel of the Triple Crown series, and as always, the race drew many of the best jockeys in the sport. And, though only three horses who ran in the Kentucky Derby are contesting the Preakness this year, more of the jockeys turn up in the Preakness – it’s no surprise, the connections want the best of the best!

Two of the three horses coming in from the Kentucky Derby keep their riders in the second leg of the Triple Crown: Tyler Gaffalione stays with Ocelli, and Jaime Torres remains with Incredibolt. Robusta was ridden by Cristian Torres two weeks ago, but Rafael Bejarano takes the call in Maryland.

Even though Golden Tempo is pointing straight to the Belmont Stakes after his Kentucky Derby win, his jockey, Jose Ortiz, still comes to the Preakness. He is taking the call on Chip Honcho, a horse he also rode to a maiden win last fall at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rode runner-up Renegade in the Kentucky Derby, takes the call on Talkin. Junior Alvarado, Luis Saez, Flavien Prat, and John Velazquez also rode in the Kentucky Derby and have different mounts in the Preakness.

Two jockeys will be riding in the Preakness for the first time ever. Alex Achard takes his first-ever Preakness ride on Great White; Micah Husbands does so with Bull by the Horns.

One thing they all have in common, however, is that they are smaller than most professional athletes in other sports.

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Why Are Horse Racing Jockeys Smaller Than Most Athletes?

For a jockey, it is an advantage to have a smaller frame because a jockey has to be strong enough to control a racehorse running at full speed while still being light enough to make weight in a race and let the horse run at a competitive speed.

In the conditions of each horse race, jockeys are assigned a weight. If they weigh less than the assigned weight, then they have to add weight to their saddle or vest. However, if they weigh more than the assigned weight, the horse they are riding is at a disadvantage because they are carrying more than the other horses they are running against. Thus, to make a stable living as a professional jockey, a rider has to be light enough to ride at the range of weights commonly assigned to horses: in horse racing terms, to “make weight.”

The weight assignments in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes are straightforward: 126 pounds for colts and geldings, 121 pounds for fillies. All of the horses in the 2026 Preakness Stakes will be carrying 126, as they are all colts. However, between the fact that the assigned weights include some of the riding equipment, as well as the fact that 126 is on the high side compared to other day-in, day-out races, the Preakness Stakes jockeys will all weigh considerably less than 126 pounds.

2026 Preakness Jockeys

These are the jockeys assigned on horses in the 2026 Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park. Nine of the 14 jockeys in the field rode in the Kentucky Derby, while five are riding in their first Triple Crown race of the year.

Jockeys are listed in order of their horses’ post positions in the starting gate for Saturday’s race. We include heights and weights if they are publicly recorded through a reliable source, though not all jockeys make that information public.

2026 Preakness Jockeys FAQ

These are answers to common questions that horseplayers may have before they bet on Preakness Stakes horses, and on horse racing all year long.

Who is the tallest jockey in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?

Not all of the jockeys in the Preakness have their heights publicly listed. Among the riders who have that information listed, Jose Ortiz is the tallest rider, at 5 foot 7. He rode Golden Tempo to Kentucky Derby victory on May 2, and goes for his second Preakness victory with Risen Star Stakes (G1) runner-up Chip Honcho.

Who is the heaviest jockey in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?

Among the riders who have their weights publicly listed, Junior Alvarado is the heaviest at 116 pounds on his 5’ 6” frame, on the tall side for a jockey. Alvarado rode Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty in 2025, and rode Chief Wallabee to a fourth-place finish in the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

Who is the shortest jockey in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?

Among jockeys with officially-listed heights, Paco Lopez is the shortest at 5’ 0”. He will ride Napoleon Solo in the Preakness. Lopez rode Napoleon Solo for the first time in the Wood Memorial (G2) on April 4; they finished fifth after setting the pace.

Who is the lightest jockey in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?

Among the riders in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown with officially listed weight information, Tyler Gaffalione (Ocelli) and Irad Ortiz, Jr. (Talkin) are lightest at 112 pounds.

How tall are jockeys?

The heights of jockeys vary significantly. Some jockeys can be slightly shorter or taller than this range, but you commonly see jockeys between 4 foot 10 and 5 foot 6. The average height of the riders with published heights in the 2026 Preakness Stakes is 5 foot 4 ½ inches.

How much do jockeys weigh?

Just as with heights, the weights of jockeys vary as well, though all regular jockeys are light enough to make weights not only for the Preakness, but in day-to-day maiden, allowance, and claiming races. Among the jockeys in the Preakness Stakes with published weights, the average is 113 pounds.

How much money do jockeys make?

What jockeys earn varies significantly based on how often they ride and what kinds of races they are riding. A jockey who rides regularly on a big-money circuit like Kentucky or New York will make significantly more prize money than a jockey who rides at a small track or on a fair circuit.

Typically, the jockeys in the Preakness Stakes will be among the top jockeys in the country, and, therefore, among the top-earning jockeys in the country. Most jockeys in the race are fixtures at the top of the sport: they ride regularly at the best tracks with the highest purses, and frequently have mounts in lucrative stakes races.

As of May 13, 2026, these are the top 10 North American jockeys by earnings. Typically, many of the top jockeys ride in Triple Crown races. Six of the top ten earners on the year so far – in fact, the top six – all have mounts in the Preakness Stakes.

What are the Preakness best bets and 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.