Napoleon Solo captured the 151st Preakness Stakes on Saturday, surging into the lead entering the homestretch and holding off prerace favorite Iron Honor to secure the victory. Trained by Chad Summers, Napoleon Solo entered the race at 10-1 odds and delivered one of the weekend’s biggest surprises.
Before the gates opened at Laurel Park, anticipation was high for the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. With Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo bowing out, there would be no Triple Crown champion in 2026, but the field still delivered plenty of excitement for racing fans.
After an exciting Derby Day, horse racing fans eagerly turned their attention to the Preakness Stakes. This post has everything you need to know about the 2026 Preakness Stakes, including race details, broadcast information, contenders and more.
Preakness Stakes 2026 Key Information:
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Time: 6:50 p.m. ET (TV coverage started at 2 p.m. ET)
Location: Laurel Park, Laurel, MD
Where to Watch: Peacock; NBC, CNBC, Universo
Watch the Preakness Stakes & so much more on DIRECTV!
When Was the Preakness Stakes?
The middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, is traditionally run on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the final leg, the Belmont Stakes.
The 2026 Preakness Stakes took place on Saturday, May 16 at 6:50 p.m. ET in a new venue for the first time in more than a century. Rather than Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, the Preakness was run at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland.
Before the main event, the traditional Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-old fillies, ran Friday, May 15 at 5 p.m. ET.
Where Is the Preakness Stakes Held?
Since its inception in 1873, the Preakness has taken place at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland. But not this year. Renovations at Pimlico moved this year’s race to Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland.
Laurel Park had never hosted a Triple Crown race prior to the 2026 Preakness and may host next year’s race as well before eventually being converted into primarily a training facility.
What Is Happening to Pimlico Racecourse?
Pimlico Racecourse is undergoing major renovations and nearly a full rebuild after 156 years in operation. The Preakness is expected to return to Pimlico in 2027 or 2028.
How to Watch the Preakness Stakes Live
Preakness Weekend remains one of the biggest and most exciting events in thoroughbred horse racing every year. For fans who couldn’t attend live at the track, there were still plenty of ways to join in the excitement from home.
Here’s a look at the channels that broadcast the event:
Friday, May 15th
- 5:00 p.m. ET: Black Eyed Susan Stakes on NBC and Peacock
Saturday, May 16th
- 2 p.m. ET: Preakness Stakes Prep Races on Peacock & CNBC
- 6:50 p.m. ET: 151st Preakness Stakes on NBC, Peacock & Universo (Spanish-language coverage)
To find your local NBC affiliate channel number, check out this post.
Which Horses Ran in the Preakness Stakes?
Curious about which horses took to the track? Find out more below.
Did Kentucky Derby Winner Golden Tempo Race in the Preakness Stakes 2026?
For the second straight year, the Preakness Stakes did not feature the Kentucky Derby champion. Golden Tempo, the longshot Derby winner, was pulled by his team from the Preakness before the race.
Preakness Stakes Horses & Odds
While Golden Tempo did not compete, the field still featured several contenders and longshots, including eventual winner Napoleon Solo.
| Horse | Odds |
| Crude Velocity | 4-1 |
| Iron Honor | 19-1 |
| Taj Mahal | 20-1 |
| Cherokee Nation | 22-1 |
| Silent Tactic | 25-1 |
| Chip Honcho | 25-1 |
| Napoleon Solo | 10-1 |
| Talkin | 50-1 |
| The Hell We Did | 50-1 |
| Talk To Me Jimmy | 50-1 |
| Great White | 90-1 |
| Crupper | 99-1 |
How Were Post Positions Determined for the Preakness Stakes?
Preakness Stakes post positions were drawn during the Preakness Stakes Post Position Draw event held on Monday, May 11. The randomized process determined the starting gate each horse occupied on race day.
After post positions were announced, trainers and jockeys adjusted their race strategies based on where their horses would break from the gate.
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Horses & Odds
The opening act of Preakness Weekend was the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for three-year-old fillies, which aired Friday night on NBC.
| Horse | Odds |
| Liam In The Dust | 6-1 |
| Princess Aliyah | 15-1 |
| Margie’s Intention | 3-1 |
| Runnin N Gunnin | 5-2 |
| Kinzie Queen | 10-1 |
| Paris Lily | 8-1 |
| Reply | 8-1 |
| Amarth | 4-1 |
| Moon Cache | 20-1 |
Preakness Stakes Watch Party Ideas
If you enjoyed a Derby Day party and wanted to keep the racing celebration going, these Preakness Stakes watch party ideas were perfect for the occasion.
Decorations: Set the mood for your Preakness Stakes watch party with black and yellow décor, the traditional colors of the race. Maryland state flag decorations, horseshoes and jockey hats all made great additions.
Dress code: Guests could embrace race day fashion with extravagant hats and stylish attire inspired by the traditions of the Triple Crown.
Betting games: Friendly betting pools added excitement to the festivities. Guests could pick horses and place mock wagers based on the odds.
Signature cocktails: Black-Eyed Susan cocktails and mint juleps remained classic drink choices for race day celebrations.
Previous Preakness Winners
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2026 | Napoleon Solo | TBD | Chad Summers |
| 2025 | Journalism | Umberto Rispoli | Michael W. McCarthy |
| 2024 | Seize the Grey | Jaime Torres | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 2023 | National Treasure | John Velazquez | Bob Baffert |
| 2022 | Early Voting | Jose Ortiz | Chad Brown |
| 2021 | Rombauer | Flavien Prat | Michael McCarthy |
| 2020 | Swiss Skydiver | Robby Albarado | Kenny McPeek |
| 2019 | War of Will | Tyler Gaffalione | Mark Casse |
| 2018 | Justify | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert |
| 2017 | Cloud Computing | Javier Castellano | Chad Brown |
| 2016 | Exaggerator | Kent Desormeaux | J. Keith Desormeaux |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert |
| 2014 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman |
| 2013 | Oxbow | Gary Stevens | D. W. Lukas |
| 2012 | I’ll Have Another | Mario Gutierrez | Doug O’Neill |
| 2011 | Shackleford | Jesus Castanon | Dale Romans |
| 2010 | Lookin At Lucky | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert |
Watch Horse Racing on DIRECTV
The 2026 Preakness Stakes delivered another exciting chapter in Triple Crown history. With DIRECTV, fans could watch all the action live across NBC networks and Peacock coverage.
From the Kentucky Derby to the Belmont Stakes and more major sporting events throughout the year, DIRECTV offers access to the biggest moments in sports.
Not a DIRECTV customer? Let’s change that.
DIRECTV Insider brings you our views on what’s happening in streaming, t.v., movies and sports. Companies and persons mentioned are not necessarily associated with and do not necessarily endorse DIRECTV. We will disclose sponsored content on our site when we show it to you, and some of the links on the site may be ads or affiliate links which means DIRECTV may earn compensation from your purchases.
