All articles tagged with #laurel park
Napoleon Solo overtook odds- and hometown-favorite Taj Mahal at the top of the stretch to win the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, holding off Iron Honor and Chip Honcho; trainer Chad Brown celebrated his Preakness debut victory as there will be no Triple Crown winner this year after Golden Tempo was withdrawn, with the race run at Laurel Park amid Pimlico’s renovation and a capped crowd.
Fourteen horses compete in the 2026 Preakness at Laurel Park—the largest field in 15 years—with Iron Honor the 9-2 morning-line favorite. The Derby winner Golden Tempo is not in the race, and notable contenders include Taj Mahal (trained by Brittany Russell) and Chip Honcho. Post positions and morning-line odds are set ahead of an approximate 7:01 p.m. ET start, with top jockeys Flavien Prat, Jose Ortiz and Tyler Gaffalione aboard various contenders. The race marks a temporary relocation from Pimlico while renovations proceed.
Jeiron Barbosa rode Wickeddivine to a narrow win over Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard Freeze the Fire in an undercard at Laurel Park, signaling a quiet start to Preakness Day ahead of the 151st Preakness Stakes.
SportsLine's Gene Menez, Michelle Yu and Jeff Hochman share their top-three selections for eight stakes on Preakness Stakes day at Laurel Park, including a best bet (Zihnal in the James W. Murphy Stakes) and a double-digit longshot among their picks.
DRF's expert handicappers publish picks and analysis for the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, offering selections and race previews ahead of the May 16 event (article dated May 15, 2026).
On Laurel Park's May 15 Black-Eyed Susan Day, a fifth-race spill saw Typhoon Kuhn and Long Straw fall but escape serious injury; Matilda Burnham was shaken, and Carlos Lopez required on-course treatment for a left-arm injury, with Kuhn later disqualified from ninth to last. Earlier, Hit Zero died of an apparent cardiac event in the first race; a full post-incident review and necropsy will follow per HISA and Maryland Racing Commission protocols.
At Laurel Park, the 3-year-old Jumping the Gun is the 3-1 favorite in the 2026 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, but SportsLine handicapper Gene Menez fades her in favor of My Miss Mo (7-2) and highlights a double-digit longshot for wagers; post time is 6:14 p.m. ET. The piece promotes subscribing to SportsLine for the full picks.
During Black-Eyed Susan Day at Laurel Park, Hit Zero, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., collapsed after finishing and later died, while Bold Fact also died after an injury. A necropsy will determine Hit Zero’s cause, though officials say a heart issue has not been proven. The event was moved from Pimlico due to renovations, and Pimlico’s history of fatalities includes incidents in 2019 and 2016.
Rising Maryland trainer Brittany Russell sends undefeated Taj Mahal to the 151st Preakness at Laurel Park, aiming to become the first female trainer to win the Grade 1 race. Taj Mahal earned an automatic berth via the Federico Tesio Stakes, and Russell emphasizes steady day-to-day work as she chases a historic milestone for the Mid-Atlantic.
CBS Sports highlights horse racing expert Jody Demling’s 2026 Preakness Stakes picks for May 16 at Laurel Park, where Crude Velocity is the 4-1 favorite and Golden Tempo is skipping the race. Demling, renowned for nailing past winners, also backs 20-1 longshot Taj Mahal, who is undefeated at Laurel Park (3-for-3), plus another strong sleeper. Full selections and the projected leaderboard are available on SportsLine.
With entries closing Monday for the 151st Preakness at Laurel Park, Pretty Boy Miah clinched the final spot after Express Kid and Smoovin scratched, leaving a near-capacity field for May 16 on the 1 3/16-mile track now at Laurel. The article details various contenders — Robusta, War of Will, The Hell We Did, Corona de Oro, Napoleon Solo, Bull by the Horns, Talkin and more — along with jockey assignments and notes from workouts, including a riderless horse interrupting The Hell We Did's workout. Post positions will be drawn Monday at 5 p.m. EDT.
The 151st Preakness Stakes moves to Laurel Park on May 16 due to Pimlico renovations—the first time since 1908 the race isn’t at Pimlico. Early odds list Crude Velocity as the 4-1 favorite, Iron Honor at 19-1, and Golden Tempo at 70-1 (pending final confirmation). SportsLine betting expert Jody Demling, who has a track record of high-accuracy picks, is fading Golden Tempo and highly backing Taj Mahal at 20-1, with full projection leaderboards and picks available on the site.
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, trained by Cherie DeVaux, is under consideration for the May 16 Preakness at Laurel Park while Pimlico undergoes reconstruction; the field is expected to be up to 14 starters with decisions due after May 11. Iron Honor is set to run if training goes well for St. Elias Stable and Chad Brown, while Silent Tactic—scratched from the Derby—also remains in the mix, along with a large group of contenders including Cherokee Nation, Chip Honcho, Crude Velocity, Crupper, Express Kid, Napoleon Solo, Taj Mahal, and Talkin.