Napoleon Solo captured the 151st Preakness Stakes on May 16, 2026, at Laurel Park in Maryland, a replacement venue while Pimlico undergoes renovations [1]. The 7-1 odds horse won by 1 1/4 lengths over runner-up Iron Honor and earned a $17.80 payout for a $2 bet [1, 2]. Trainer Chad Summers and jockey Paco Lopez recorded their first Triple Crown race victory with the win [1, 2].
Golden Tempo, the 2026 Kentucky Derby winner, did not run in the Preakness, leaving a field of 14 horses to compete [1, 3]. Cherie DeVaux, Golden Tempo’s trainer, said, “I understand that fans of the sport or fans of the Triple Crown are disappointed, but the horse is not a machine.” [3] Early leader and morning line favorite Taj Mahal faded late, while Chip Honcho took third place [1, 3].
Only three horses ran in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness: Ocelli, Incredibolt, and Robusta. They finished fourth, fifth, and ninth respectively [1, 3].
Napoleon Solo had a strong two-year-old season, winning the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes but had placed fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial earlier this year [1, 4, 2]. Chad Summers noted, “All year long, fifth place, fifth place. Everyone said he wasn’t as good as he was in the Champagne. This was a win here. People will say it wasn’t against the best of the best. We’ll find out the rest of the year.” [1]
The Preakness field included 14 horses, with the race held at Laurel Park due to renovations at Pimlico Race Course [1, 3]. A horse named Hit Zero died shortly after finishing last in a race about 24 hours before the Preakness [3].
