Preakness Stakes 2026 post positions, betting odds: Iron Honor is narrow early favorite

Iron Honor is the slight favorite for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, coming in at 9-2 odds after post positions were set during Monday’s draw for the race.

Jockeyed by Flavien Prat and drawing the No. 9 post position, Iron Honor is just barely ahead of a trio at 5-1: Taj Mahal, who drew the first post position, Chip Honcho in the sixth spot, and Incredibolt at No. 12.

Ocelli, which surprised with a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, is 6-1 and will race out of the No. 2 position.

Golden Tempo, the long shot who won the Kentucky Derby at 23-1 odds, will not race at this year’s Preakness. Trainer Cherie DeVaux cited the “health, happiness, and long-term future” of Golden Tempo as reasons for the opt-out. Since Justify won the Triple Crown in 2018, only three horses have competed in the Preakness after winning the Derby: Authentic (2020), Mage (2023) and Mystik Dan (2024).

The Preakness, scheduled for approximately 6:50 p.m. ET on Saturday, will not be held in the traditional Pimlico Race Course due to renovations. The race will instead be at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Coverage of the race will be on NBC and Peacock. 

Ocelli, Incredibolt and Robusta raced in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, with Ocelli placing third on 70-1 odds. Great White, who is 17.2 hands tall and nearly 1,300 pounds, was a last-second scratch on Derby day. The horse reared onto his hind legs before getting into post position and fell over on the track, throwing his jockey Alex Achard and spoiling his Kentucky Derby debut. Corona de Oro was a Derby alternate but did not compete.

Preakness horses have historically had better odds of winning from the rail than Kentucky Derby racers. Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh won from the first post in 2015, as did War of Will in 2019 and most recently National Treasure in 2023. The last time a horse won the Derby from the rail was Ferdinand in 1986.

2026 Preakness Stakes post draw, odds:

*Jockeys are listed in parentheses; horses are listed by post position

1. Taj Mahal (Sheldon Russell): 5-1
2. Ocelli (Tyler Gaffalione): 6-1
3. Crupper (Junior Alvarado): 30-1
4. Robusta (Rafael Bejarano): 30-1
5. Talkin (Irad Ortiz Jr.): 20-1
6. Chip Honcho (Jose Ortiz): 5-1
7. The Hell We Did (Luis Saez): 15-1
8. Bull By The Horns (Micah Husbands): 30-1
9. Iron Honor (Flavien Prat): 9-2
10. Napoleon Solo (Paco Lopez): 8-1
11. Corona De Oro (John Velazquez): 30-1
12. Incredibolt (Jaime Torres): 5-1
13. Great White (Alex Achard): 15-1
14. Pretty Boy Miah (Ricardo Santana Jr.): 15-1