The 2026 Preakness Stakes arrives with a wide-open field and a fresh backdrop. For the first time in the race's history, the second jewel of the Triple Crown is being run at Laurel Park, 20 miles south of the traditional home at Pimlico Race Course, which is currently undergoing a $400 million renovation.

Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, the 23-1 longshot who shocked Churchill Downs two weeks ago, will not be making the trip to Maryland. Trainer Cherie DeVaux has elected to point her horse toward the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, keeping the Triple Crown dream alive for another year but leaving the Preakness without a dominant favorite.

That absence has created an unusually competitive betting market. Iron Honor, the Gotham Stakes winner trained by Chad Brown, is installed as the 9-2 morning-line favorite, but five horses are clustered between 5-1 and 6-1, making this a wide-open race with real value across the board.

Get ready to bet on the Preakness Stakes winner with FanDuel Racing. Explore the exciting 2026 Preakness promos available on FDR. Stay updated on the Preakness Stakes Odds as we approach the "Middle Jewel" of the American Triple Crown!

FanDuel TV Expert Picks for the 2026 Preakness Stakes

Our FanDuel TV analysts have weighed in with their selections for the 151st Preakness Stakes. With no dominant favorite following Golden Tempo's withdrawal, opinions are split across the top of the market. Here's where our experts landed:

• DW
  Dave Weaver

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Ocelli (6-1)
• CK
  Curtis Kalleward

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Talkin (20-1)
• JS
  Jess Stafford

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:The Hell We Did (15-1)
• JJ
  Joaquin Jaime

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Talkin (20-1)
• SB
  Simon Bray

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Incredibolt (5-1)
• CB
  Caton Bredar

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Taj Mahal (5-1)
• JC
  Jose Contreras

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Great White (15-1)
• SH
  Scott Hazelton

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Incredibolt (5-1)
• CK
  Caleb Keller

  FanDuel TV - Racing Analyst

  Pick:Talkin (20-1)

Exotic Bets: Exacta & Trifecta

With such a wide-open field, the Preakness rewards players who think beyond the win bet. Here are the exotic combinations our analysts recommend:

Exacta: Key #12 Incredibolt over #2 Ocelli, #1 Taj Mahal, #6 Chip Honcho

Trifecta: #12 Incredibolt / #2 Ocelli, #1 Taj Mahal / #6 Chip Honcho, #9 Iron Honor, #10 Napoleon Solo

Longshot to watch: The Hell We Did (#7, 15-1), a closer who could benefit from the expected fast pace up front. Include him in your trifecta bottom.

2026 Preakness Stakes Field & Odds

Here is the full 14-horse field for the 2026 Preakness Stakes with post positions, jockeys, trainers, and morning line odds:

Key Storylines for the 2026 Preakness

First-Ever Preakness at Laurel Park

For the first time in the Preakness Stakes' history, the race leaves its traditional home of Pimlico Race Course. Laurel Park, located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., is a 1 1/8-mile oval, larger than Pimlico's one-mile configuration. That distinction makes historical post-position statistics less reliable, and could benefit horses with tactical speed who can settle comfortably in a 14-horse field.

Taj Mahal: Undefeated on Laurel's Dirt

Trainer Brittany Russell would make history by becoming the first woman to saddle a Preakness winner. Her horse, Taj Mahal, is unbeaten in three starts, all at Laurel Park. His Federico Tesio Stakes win, an 8 1/4-length demolition, came at the exact same venue and distance as Saturday's race. The question is whether he can replicate that performance against the best three-year-olds in the country.

Chad Brown Goes for Three

Hall of Fame trainer Chad Brown has won two Preakness Stakes, Cloud Computing (2017) and Early Voting (2022), and both horses made their final prep in the Wood Memorial, just like his current horse, Iron Honor. Despite a disappointing seventh-place finish in that race, the pattern gives connections reason for optimism heading into Laurel.

Incredibolt: Bad Luck in the Derby

Incredibolt finished sixth at Churchill Downs, but connections believe he was the victim of traffic at the critical moment. Jockey Jaime Torres, who won the 2024 Preakness aboard Seize the Grey, had to route the colt wide just as he was building his run. A cleaner trip in a 1 3/16-mile race should suit his closing style.