The 2026 Preakness Stakes delivered another memorable chapter in Triple Crown history as Napoleon Solo captured the 151st running of the race at Laurel Park in Maryland.
Entering the race, Iron Honor opened as the slight 9-2 favorite, while Chip Honcho, Taj Mahal and Incredibolt followed closely behind at 5-1 in what was viewed as one of the most competitive Preakness fields in recent years. With Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo skipping the race to prepare for the Belmont Stakes, the door opened for a new star to emerge in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Napoleon Solo Wins the 2026 Preakness Stakes
Napoleon Solo entered the 2026 Preakness Stakes with questions surrounding his recent form, but the colt delivered the biggest victory of his career at Laurel Park.
Tahj Mahal closed as the betting favorite and quickly took control of the race from the No. 1 post, setting the pace early. But just over a minute into the race, No. 10 Napoleon Solo gained momentum, moved to the front, and held off the field the rest of the way to win the 151st Preakness Stakes.
The victory marked a major turnaround for Napoleon Solo, who had finished fifth in both of his previous starts as a 3-year-old after fading late down the stretch. Before Saturday’s race, his biggest career win came as a 2-year-old in the one-mile Champagne Stakes.
Entering the Preakness, one of the biggest questions surrounding Napoleon Solo was whether he could handle a longer distance race after showing signs he might be better suited for shorter events. He answered that question in impressive fashion by taking control midway through the race and finishing strong down the stretch.
Napoleon Solo takes home $1.2 million for the 2026 victory.
The Winning Jockey: Paco Lopez
Paco Lopez picked up the biggest Triple Crown victory of his career aboard Napoleon Solo in the 2026 Preakness Stakes.
The 40-year-old jockey, who was born in Mexico, has long been one of the top riders on the Mid-Atlantic racing circuit, particularly at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Despite his success, Saturday marked just his second career mount in the Preakness Stakes.
Before this year, Lopez’s best finish in the race came in 2020 when he rode Max Player to fifth place, according to his Blood Horse profile.
Lopez was already familiar with Napoleon Solo before the Preakness after riding the colt in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), where they finished fifth after setting the early pace. Known for his aggressive riding style, Lopez once again had Napoleon Solo near the front early before the colt surged ahead midway through the race and stayed there through the finish line.
Trainer Chad Summers Turns Longshot Napoleon Solo Into Preakness Stakes Winner
Chad Summers picked up the biggest win of his training career when Napoleon Solo captured the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park.
Ahead of the race, Summers told CBS that the No. 10 post position worked in the colt’s favor, though he noted that jockey Paco Lopez would need to watch for outside pressure early from Pretty Boy Miah breaking from the No. 14 post.
Summers believed Napoleon Solo was capable of returning to the form he showed earlier in his career after dealing with several setbacks leading into the Triple Crown season. The colt’s 3-year-old debut was delayed until February because of physical issues, and a heel bruise before the Wood Memorial Stakes forced the trainer to focus more on getting the horse to the starting gate than maximizing performance.
“We felt there might be other factors behind where he finished in his last two starts,” Summers told BloodHorse. “He only has this one opportunity to run in the Preakness. If he turns out to be a one-turn horse, there’s plenty of opportunities, and we can get back to that later in the year. We felt he deserved this opportunity.”
Summers also explained that Napoleon Solo appeared much more comfortable physically entering the Preakness Stakes than he did before the Wood Memorial.
“We were training with an egg shoe before the Wood and were training just to make the race rather than win it,” Summers said. “That’s difficult to do. Now that he can train like he wants to, it goes a long way. He’s a handful. After the Wood, we pulled the shoes off for a week. Since he’s back in his old shoes, he’s back to his old self.”
The Preakness victory added another milestone to Summers’ growing resume. Entering the race, the trainer had recorded 87 wins from 791 career starts with more than $7.5 million in earnings, according to his EquiBase profile. He previously earned national attention with fan-favorite Mind Your Biscuits, including a major victory in the 2017 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Preakness Stakes History Includes Legendary Champions and Record Performances
The Preakness Stakes dates back to 1873, when Pimlico Race Course launched the event during its first spring racing meet. Over the decades, the race became one of the crown jewels of American horse racing and the middle leg of the Triple Crown series, according to the race’s official website. The race is also famously known as the “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans.”
The first Preakness winner was Survivor, who dominated the inaugural race by 10 lengths. That margin stood as the race record for more than 130 years before Smarty Jones shattered it in 2004 with an 11 1/2-length victory.
Secretariat still owns the fastest Preakness Stakes time ever recorded. The legendary Triple Crown winner completed the 1 3/16-mile race in 1:53.00 during his historic 1973 campaign.
Another legendary horse connected to the race is Man o’ War, who won the 1920 Preakness Stakes after skipping the Kentucky Derby. The Hall of Fame colt entered the race in his seasonal debut and added another major victory to his career resume. More than 50 years later, Secretariat — another horse nicknamed “Big Red” — cemented his own place in racing history with his dominant Triple Crown run.
Including the 13 Triple Crown winners, dozens of Kentucky Derby champions have also gone on to win the Preakness Stakes, further solidifying the race’s importance within the sport.
The Preakness Stakes purse remains one of the richest in horse racing. The 2025 winner, Journalism, earned $1.2 million after defeating Gosger in the 150th running of the race. The top five finishers all received payouts, with second place taking home $400,000 and third place earning $220,000.
Preakness 2026 Winner Napoleon Solo: Meet the Horse, Trainer & Jockey