
The 2026 Preakness Stakes will take place at Laurel Park with a smaller crowd and no Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo. DraftKings' Johnny Avello discusses betting odds, with Iron Honor as the morning-line favorite at 9-2.
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LAUREL, Md. ā Itās an unusual 2026 Preakness Stakes, with the event at Laurel Park instead of Pimlico Race Course. Itāll be a smaller crowd Saturday, and Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo wonāt be in the 14-horse field.
While many things about the Preakness are changing shape ā perhaps even the Triple Crown calendar in coming years ā some things remain the same. Among them is the eventās close relationship with betting.
At the Preakness post position draw on Monday, it was only a matter of minutes before initial betting odds were shared with the audience. Iron Honor (9-2) was the morning-line favorite.
The Baltimore Sun connected with Johnny Avello, the director of race and sports operations at DraftKings, over email to discuss this yearās race from a betting perspective.
DK Horse is one of the betting platforms available to those in Maryland looking to wager on the raceās outcome. Here are the latest odds to win the event via DK Horse:
ā Iron Honor, 9-2
ā Taj Mahal, 5-1
ā Chip Honcho, 5-1
ā Incredibolt, 5-1
ā Ocelli, 6-1
ā Napoleon Solo, 8-1
ā The Hell We Did, 15-1
ā Great White, 15-1
ā Pretty Boy Miah, 15-1
ā Talkin, 20-1
ā Crupper, 30-1
ā Robusta, 30-1
ā Bull By The Horns, 30-1
ā Corona De Oro, 30-1
Editorās note: This conversation has been edited for clarity.
The opening odds had several horses with odds of 5-1 or shorter. Why do you think this yearās field is so bunched at the top?
In the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, Robusta, who finished 14th, had closing odds of 70-1, Ocelli finished third, also at 70-1 and Incredibolt finished sixth at 23-1. Only these three have elected to run in this yearās Preakness. The Morning Line on Incredibolt is 5-1, Ocelli is 6-1 and Robusta 30-1.
That alone will tell you that this is a much weaker field they are facing. Then there are Iron Honor, Napoleon Solo, Chip Honcho and Talkin, who have all consistently raced against better competition, but with limited success.
Iām curious about the betting appetite this week. Does Golden Tempo skipping the Preakness hurt projected betting handle, or is it usually steady regardless of the horses in the field? Does it matter to bettors that the event isnāt at Pimlico?
All race fans are excited at this time of the year, hoping a horse can win both the Derby and Preakness and having at least a shot at the Triple Crown in the Belmont. We at DraftKings are optimistic that the betting handle will be favorable because of the large field size and the wide openness of the race.
The general public will not care that this race is at Laurel Park and not at the traditional Pimlico Race Course.
Iron Honor is the morning-line favorite at 9-2, with other odds available through DK Horse.
The Preakness is at Laurel Park this year, marking a significant change in its traditional venue.
Johnny Avello is the director of race and sports operations at DraftKings, providing insights on betting for the Preakness.
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Do you have a pick to win the Preakness?
My selection is Taj Mahal. Heās 3 for 3, and all wins have come on the Laurel surface, and heās training lights out.