For the second year in a row, the biggest story surrounding the Preakness Stakes is about a horse that isn’t making the trip.
Kentucky Derby champion Golden Tempo will skip the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, instead focusing on the Belmont Stakes, which will be held on June 6 at Saratoga.
That has left the field wanting from a casual perspective, but it still projects as a world-class stakes race, and the horse atop the odds figures to be a juggernaut.
No. 9 Iron Honor, trained by Chad C. Brown, is the favorite to win the Preakness Stakes at 9-2. Brown won the Preakness in 2017 with Cloud Computing and in 2022 with Early Voting.
Taj Mahal, Chip Honcho and Incredibolt were installed at 5-1 behind Irono Honor on the morning line.
Taj Mahal is a local horse that has won all three starts he’s made at Laurel Park, which is hosting the Preakness for the first time, with Pimlico under renovations.
Taj Mahal broke his maiden over this track in February and continued to improve with wins in the Miracle Wood and then in a dominant victory at the Federico Tesio.
2026 Preakness Stakes odds
| No. | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iron Honor | 9-2 |
| 2 | Chip Honcho | 5-1 |
| 3 | Taj Mahal | 5-1 |
| 4 | Incredibolt | 5-1 |
| 5 | Ocelli | 6-1 |
| 6 | Napoleon Solo | 8-1 |
| 7 | The Hell We Did | 15-1 |
| 8 | Great White | 15-1 |
| 9 | Pretty Boy Miah | 15-1 |
| 10 | Talkin | 20-1 |
| 11 | Crupper | 30-1 |
| 12 | Robusta | 30-1 |
| 13 | Bull By The Horns | 30-1 |
| 14 | Corona De Oro | 30-1 |
Ocelli, who finished third at the Kentucky Derby as a 70-1 long shot, is 6-1 to win the Preakness.
He is the only horse that competed in the Derby to make the trip to Laurel.
The 2026 Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, May 16, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Post-time is scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.