Ocelli profile: 2026 Preakness Stakes odds, post position, history and more to know

Ocelli, like Golden Tempo and Renegade, certainly benefitted from a pace meltdown that day, but nothing in the past performances suggested this 0-for-7 maiden was capable of such an effort. In six previous starts, his best finish was second (in a maiden race) and his best career Beyer Speed Figure was an 81 (in the Wood Memorial).

Even though his speed figures were moving, ever so slightly, in the right direction, Ocelli needed significant improvement to be competitive in the Derby, and he got it.

His 94 Beyer Speed Figure from the Derby ranks among the best in the Preakness Stakes field. And the question now is whether he can repeat, or even improve upon, his career-best performance in Louisville with just two weeks' rest. This horse has run seven times since Nov. 23, so he's familiar with short rest, but even this may be too short for him.

If Ocelli is able to cross the finish line first, he would become the first maiden to win the Preakness Stakes since Refund in 1888.

Because of his Derby effort, Ocelli backers will get much shorter odds at DK Horse and 1/ST BET than the 70-1 he was two weeks ago, and that will be unappealing to some. Claim our jumbo-sized 1/ST BET offer here to get a $500 sign-up bonus with the promo code 500BET:

Post draw analysis

Drawn second widest in the Kentucky Derby, Ocelli gets the opposite post draw for the Preakness: second from the rail. That should allow jockey Tyler Gaffalione to save ground around at least the first turn. Note: the Laurel Park stretch for the Preakness will be just 1,089 feet, which means that off-the-pace horses like Ocelli will need to do much of their dirty work long before the eighth pole. Luckily for them, the expected pace scenario looks to be in their favor.