Expert Pick of the Week: 2026 Preakness Stakes

May 13, 2026 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Iron Honor wins the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photos / Credit to Joe Labozzetta)

A full field of 14 three-year-old horses will travel 1 3/16 miles over the Laurel Park dirt surface in Saturday’s $2 million Preakness (G1). The second leg of the Triple Crown boasts just three runners who competed in the Kentucky Derby, and only a single Grade 1 winner in total, but the field has plenty of quality and promises to be a memorable event, nonetheless.

The Chad Brown-trained Iron Honor didn’t fire his best shot when unplaced in the Wood Memorial (G2) last time out, but the colt will race with blinkers off for the first time, and I like his chances with the equipment change. By 2016 Kentucky Derby winner and top sire Nyquist, the horse debuted on Dec. 13 at Aqueduct and drove home late to post a nice win at a sprint distance, which is less than his best. In his second lifetime race, the $475,000 auction purchase wore down a stubborn foe in the Gotham (G3) in the Empire State at the one-mile trip.

Iron Honor is bred to run long, and his conditioner has said that he will excel with distance as he progresses. The sophomore has posted four promising workouts leading up to his first try at Laurel Park, and the horse figures to receive a nice voyage from a few lengths off the pace before being asked for his best run in the stretch, as well. Flavien Prat inherits the ride.

It was a stretch battle in the Gotham and IRON HONOR had no problem stretching out to a mile, picking up 50 points towards the @kentuckyderby! 🌹@jockeyfranco was aboard the 3YO colt and Chad Brown trains. pic.twitter.com/38HBbR0pdl

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 28, 2026

The fleet and accomplished Napoleon Solo, who captured the 2025 Champagne (G1) for conditioner Chad Summers, dueled through wicked early fractions in the Wood Memorial last time when finishing fifth, beaten by just 2 3/4 lengths. The gray son of Liam’s Map has been patiently handled in his career leading up to this point and seems to be rounding up to a peak performance in his third run off of the long layoff. In a race with a lot of early speed, the three-year-old horse is fastest of all and will be forcing the pace from the opening stages of the Preakness. I expect the Kentucky-bred to be the one to run down late with Paco Lopez in the saddle.

Expert Pick

An exacta box with #9 Iron Honor and #10 Napoleon Solo in the 2026 Preakness Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.