2026 Preakness Stakes Horses: Ranking All 14 Competitors & Prediction For Race Winner

On Saturday, horse racing enthusiasts will pack into Laurel Park race track to see which competitor will win the second leg of the 2026 Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. This year’s field includes a deep list of favorites, dark horses, and just one competitor from the Kentucky Derby.

But who will win this year’s “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”? We look to answer that with our casual fans’ ranking of the Preakness Stakes horses.

14. Robusta

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Doug O’Neil-trained colt Robusta is one of just three horses that competed at the Kentucky Derby who will also take to the track in Laurel Park on Saturday. However, he is one of the biggest long shots in this year’s race due to his recent form.

Before running in the Derby, Robusta finished seventh at the Santa Anita against competition he would then face in Kentucky. He followed that up by finishing 14th among the 19 horses at Churchill Downs. Robusta ending up in the top three would be a stunner.

13. Bull By The Horns

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Peachtree Stable and Mark Corrado owned colt Bull by the Horns has had an up-and-down career over his first five races. While he earned a first-place finish in Florida at his second race in November, he came in seventh in February at the Fourth of Youth and was well behind several Derby horses.

Although he won the 2026 Rushaway in March, he has struggled on fast dirt tracks, like the one he will be on this weekend.

12. Crupper

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After a sixth-place finish to begin his career, Robert Zoellner-trained colt Crupper has been trending upward. He has won two of his last three races, including a victory in the Bathhouse Raw last month. However, the three-year-old heads into the Preakness Stakes as a big underdog because of the weak competition he has faced thus far.

11. Corona De Oro

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Three-year-old Corona de Oro has been a solid but unspectacular horse over his first five races. In March, the Dallas Stewart-trained colt earned his first win of his career. However, last month, he finished behind fellow Preakness competitor The Hell We Did at the 2026 Lexington.

We Do is not a favorite on Saturday, so that does bode well for de Oro’s chances of a Show finish this weekend.

10. Talkin

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After scoring a victory in his August debut last year, Danny Gargan-trained colt Talkin has seemingly regressed since. Including a ninth-place finish at the 2025 Remsen in December.

He got a chance to face Derby and Stakes-level competition in his last two and peaked with a third-place finish last month at the Blue Grass. It’s why Talkin is a sizable underdog on Saturday.

9. Great White

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John Ennis-trained colt Great White has been all over the map over his first four races. The three-year-old scored a win in his December debut and in February at the John Battaglia Memorial. However, White has fifth-place finishes in his other two races, including in April at the Blue Grass.

That unpredictability is a key reason why he is an underdog on Saturday. Furthermore, despite being an impressive specimen, losing his cool minutes before entering the post in Kentucky adds to that unpredictable reputation.

8. Napoleon Solo

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After beginning his career with back-to-back victories, including in October at the 2025 Champagne, Gold Square horse Napoleon Solo has not looked good since. In February, he faced stiff competition at the Fountain of Youth and ended up in fifth.

Then last month, he went toe-to-toe with Preakness and Derby-level competition again, and again came in fifth. Solo has not given bettors a reason to think he can be a Show option on Saturday.

7. Chip Honcho

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At the end of 2025, Steve Asmussen-trained colt Chip Honcho looked like a potential contender for this year’s Triple Crown. However, in 2026, he has surprisingly struggled in his three races. While he finished second at the 2026 Risen Star in February, he came in fourth in January at the Lecomte, and fifth in March in high-level competition at the Louisiana Derby.

6. The Hell We Did

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Todd Fincher-trained colt The Hell We Did is another horse for risky bettors to consider. While he has middle-of-the-road odds days before the race, he has looked very good in his first four races, with two second-place and two first-place finishes. But just like Pretty Boy Miah, Saturday will be a chance to prove he is an elite talent despite lesser competition so far.

5. Pretty Boy Miah

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Jeremiah Englehart-trained horse Pretty Boy Miah is an intriguing underdog pick for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. Although he had a fourth-place finish in February at Aqueduct, he has been strong in his other three races this year. Including back-to-back wins in his last two.

The big question is whether his success is based on his athletic talents or the competition he has faced in his career so far.

4. Ocelli

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D. Whitworth Beckman-trained horse Ocelli got an opportunity at the 2026 Kentucky Derby after several horses, including Right to Party, were scratched from the race. Although Ocelli had six contests on his resume, he had no wins to his name.

Yet, to the surprise of many, the colt finished third in Kentucky. After that, showing Ocelli can’t be doubted and should be considered as a rock-solid Show option this weekend.

3. Incredibolt

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Riley Mott-trained colt Incredibolt has had an up-and-down career. It’s why he was at the back end of the betting odds heading into the Kentucky Derby after finishing sixth in a G3 face in January. However, he turned heads in March when he won the Virginia Derby, making some wonder if he could perform better than expected at the Derby.

He did not and finished sixth. However, odds makers are still high on the colt, and he is viewed as one of the favorites heading into Saturday’s Preakness Stakes.

2. Iron Honor

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Elite trainer Chad Brown has one horse in Saturday’s race, and that is Iron Honor. Honor looked great in his first two races when he scored back-to-back first-place finishes to begin his career. However, at the Wood Memorial in April, he surprisingly finished seventh. Yet, many chalk that up to being bumped hard early and getting thrown off his game.

Nevertheless, the talented colt is a favorite heading into the Preakness.

1. Taj Mahal

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Brittany Russell-trained colt Taj Mahal enters the 2026 Preakness Stakes as a top pick for good reason. While the three-year-old only has three races on his resume, he has been outstanding thus far. Scoring wins in all three, including at the 2026 Federico Tesio. Mahal is a safe win and/or place bet on Saturday night, especially under the guidance of a top trainer.

2026 Preakness Stakes odds and predictions

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Here are the current betting odds for the 2026 Preakness Stakes. This year’s race takes place at 6:50 PM ET on May 16.

• Crupper 30-1
• Robusta 30-1
• Bull By The Horns 30-1
• Corona De Oro 30-1
• Talkin 20-1
• Great White 15-1
• Pretty Boy Miah 15-1
• The Hell We Did 15-1
• Napoleon Solo 8-1
• Ocelli 6-1
• Chip Honcho 5-1
• Incredibolt 5-1
• Taj Mahal 5-1
• Iron Honor 9-2

2026 Preakness Stakes prediction

Heading into the 2026 Preakness Stakes, Iron Honor is a popular choice to win it all. However, we are going with Taj Mahal to get the victory because the horse has both an elite trainer and has been running very well in recent races.

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