Preakness 2026 Q&A: DraftKings’ Johnny Avello on betting the race

LAUREL, Md. — It’s an unusual 2026 Preakness Stakes, with the event at Laurel Park instead of Pimlico Race Course. It’ll be a smaller crowd Saturday, and Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo won’t be in the 14-horse field.

While many things about the Preakness are changing shape — perhaps even the Triple Crown calendar in coming years — some things remain the same. Among them is the event’s 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 year’s race from a betting perspective.

DK Horse is one of the betting platforms available to those in Maryland looking to wager on the race’s outcome. Here are the latest odds to win the event via DK Horse:

— Iron Honor, 9-2

— Taj Mahal, 5-1

— Chip Honcho, 5-1

— Incredibolt, 5-1

— Ocelli, 6-1

— Napoleon Solo, 8-1

— The Hell We Did, 15-1

— Great White, 15-1

— Pretty Boy Miah, 15-1

— Talkin, 20-1

— Crupper, 30-1

— Robusta, 30-1

— Bull By The Horns, 30-1

— Corona De Oro, 30-1

Editor’s 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 year’s 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 year’s 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.

I’m 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 isn’t 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.