2026 Preakness Stakes horses, odds, predictions: Picks by expert who’s nailed the last three winners

The final two legs of the 2026 Triple Crown will look a bit different, as they’re being held at temporary locations. That starts with the 2026 Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 16, which will take place at Laurel Park in Maryland. Its regular home of Pimlico Race Course is underdoing renovations, so Laurel will become the fourth racetrack to host the The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans. After the Preakness Stakes 2026, the Belmont Stakes will take place at Saratoga due to construction at Belmont Park. Bet on the Preakness at FanDuel Racing now. Claim your new user bonus here:

Crude Velocity, who won the Pat Day Mile, is the 4-1 favorite in the early Preakness Stakes 2026 odds released before the Kentucky Derby. Golden Tempo has not been confirmed for the Preakness, but the Kentucky Derby champion is a 70-1 longshot for Laurel Park, though his odds are almost certain to fall if he chooses to be one of the 2026 Preakness Stakes horses. Other 2026 Preakness Stakes contenders include Iron Honor (19-1) and Taj Mahal (20-1). Before making any 2026 Preakness Stakes picks, be sure to see the 2026 Preakness Stakes predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling hit the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order. He also called 11 of the last 21 Preakness winners, including 2023, when he hit the winner, exacta, trifecta and superfecta. He hit the trifecta in the 2024 Preakness Stakes and nailed Journalism as the 2025 Preakness winner. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up. 

Now, with the 2026 Preakness Stakes approaching and horse racing futures odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Preakness Stakes betting picks and 2026 Preakness Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.

Top 2026 Preakness Stakes predictions

One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Preakness Stakes picks: Demling is fading Golden Tempo even though he just won the Kentucky Derby. Golden Tempo has yet to be confirmed for the Preakness, but if he runs, Demling doesn’t have Golden Tempo winning at Laurel Park, saying he “needs a good set up and that will be tougher to get in the Preakness Stakes.”

Prevailing at Churchill Downs is Golden Tempo’s only victory over his last three starts as he finished third at both the Louisiana Derby and Risen Star Stakes. Also, if he does run on May 16, then the horse will have to deal with a short turnaround that he’s never experienced before. All of his previous races came with at least four weeks of rest — with the Derby being after six weeks of rest — so it would be a lot to ask for the horse to triumph again with just two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Taj Mahal, even though he’s a double-digit longshot at 20-1. “The son of Derby winner Nyquist is 3-for-3 with all of his races at Laurel Park,” said Demling. Nyquist won the 2016 Kentucky Derby, and Taj Mahal’s damsire, Quality Road, was a four-time Grade 1 winner, so Taj Mahal has pedigree on his side. His three Laurel Park wins came on varying track conditions, including both fast and muddy, so he may have a home-track advantage come May 16.

That last victory was at the Federico Tesio on April 18, so he’ll have plenty of rest before the Preakness. His trainer, Brittany Russell, is one of the most accomplished in recent Maryland horse racing history, leading all trainers in the state in wins in both 2023 and 2024. Considering Taj Mahal’s track history and strong pedigree, he’s a longshot worth taking a chance on with Preakness Stakes bets. See which other horses to back at SportsLine. Bet on the Preakness at DK Horse. Sign up for DraftKings Racing here:

How to make 2026 Preakness Stakes picks, bets

Demling is also especially high on an epic double-digit longshot who’s well-rested and the perfect fit for the Preakness. Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Preakness Stakes leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Preakness Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Preakness Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Preakness Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed the last three winners.

2026 Preakness Stakes odds