2026 Preakness Stakes: Start time, where to watch and TV channel for annual race
The second and shortest leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown will take place Saturday at the 2026 Preakness Stakes. For the first time since 1908, the Preakness Stakes will be run away from Pimlico Race Course, which is being redeveloped. Instead, the race will take place in Laurel Park in Maryland.
The change in venue isn’t the only notable thing about this year’s Preakness Stakes. This year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo, will not participate in the race. That means there will be no new Triple Crown winner this summer, leaving Justify as the most recent horse to accomplish that feat in 2018. This also marks the second year in a row – and third time in five years – that the Kentucky Derby winner will skip the Preakness Stakes.
With Golden Tempo out of the mix, will we see another horse pull off a late charge at Laurel Park? There are 14 horses vying for the winner’s circle, and there are some clear favorites. Iron Honor appears as favorite at 9/2, but Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1) and Incredibolt (5-1) are not far behind. Ocelli, who finished third at Churchill Downs, comes in at 6-1 odds.
Iron Honor is trained by Chad Brown, who has won this race twice. This is the only Triple Crown race in which Brown has had success, where his horses won in 2017 and 2022. Iron Honor struggled in his penultimate race leading up to the Preakness where he finished seventh at Wood Memorial on April 7.
Below you’ll find everything you need for the 151st Preakness Stakes.
Where to watch the 2026 Preakness Stakes
Date: Saturday May 16
Post time: 6:50 p.m. ET
Location: Laurel Park – Laurel, Maryland
TV: BNC | Flow: Peacock (subscription required)
2026 Preakness Stakes Odds, Ranked by Post Position
Odds via FanDuel
1. Taj Mahal (5-1)
2. Ocelli (6-1)
3. Dealer (30-1)
4. Robusta (30-1)
5. Talk (20-1)
6. Chip Honcho (5-1)
7. The good he did (15-1)
8. Bull by the horns (30-1)
9. Iron Honor (9/2)
10. Napoleon Solo (8-1)
11. Golden Crown (30-1)
12. Incredibolt (5-1)
13. Grand Blanc (15-1)
14. Pretty Boy Miah (15-1)
Where is the Preakness Stakes?
For 118 years, the Preakness States has been held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. However, that streak will end this year as the 2026 Preakness Stakes will be held at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, while Pimlico will undergo a $400 million redevelopment.
How long is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is 1 3/16 miles long, making it the shortest leg of the American Triple Crown.
Which horse wins the 2026 Preakness Stakes and which stunning longshot is a must-see? Visit SportsLine to see Jody Demling’s Preakness Stakes picks, all from the expert who has called the last three winners.
