2026 Preakness Stakes horses, odds, predictions: Expert who nailed last three winners makes picks

Jody Demling, who nailed the last three Preakness winners, including the trifecta in both 2023 and 2024, reveals his 2026 Preakness Stakes picks for Saturday, May 16 at Laurel Park with Golden Tempo not in the field

Ross Kelly

May 8, 2026

11:35 am ET

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3 min read

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There will be no Triple Crown attempt this year, with Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo bypassing the 2026 Preakness Stakes. However, there is still much to look forward to on Saturday, May 16 at Laurel Park. It's a different venue than the normal host site of Pimlico Race Course, so the novelty of the environment certainly sparks interest. Also, Golden Tempo's last-to-first victory at the Derby displayed, once again, that anything can happen at the track, and we could see similar suspense at the Preakness Stakes 2026. Bet on the Preakness at FanDuel Racing now. Claim your new user bonus here:

Crude Velocity, who is trained by eight-time Preakness winner, Bob Baffert, is the 4-1 favorite. There's a big gap between him and everyone else, per the 2026 Preakness Stakes odds. Iron Honor (19-1) is the second-favorite, and his half-brother, Taj Mahal, is at 20-1 for use in horse racing bets. 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: He is high on Taj Mahal, even though he's a double-digit longshot at 20-1. The horse began his career under Bob Baffert, the all-time winningest trainer in Preakness history with eight victories. Taj Mahal then transitioned to Brittany Russell, who has her own impressive resume. She's topped all Maryland trainers in wins in each of the last three years and has Taj Mahal undefeated through three starts.

All three have come at Laurel Park, as the horse will be in familiar surroundings come May 16. Taj Mahal's last start was a dominating 8 1/4 length victory at the Federico Tesio on April 18. Add in that Taj Mahal's sire, Nyquist, was the American 2-year-old champion and the 2016 Kentucky Derby winner, and Taj Mahal checks all the boxes you're looking for when betting a Preakness Stakes longshot. 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

Horse OddsProjectionCrude Velocity4-1SEE PICKSIron Honor19-1SEE PICKSTaj Mahal20-1SEE PICKSCherokee Nation22-1SEE PICKSSilent Tactic25-1SEE PICKSChip Honcho25-1SEE PICKSNapoleon Solo40-1SEE PICKSTalkin50-1SEE PICKSThe Hell We Did50-1SEE PICKSTalk To Me Jimmy50-1SEE PICKSGolden TempoN/A

Great White90-1SEE PICKSCrupper99-1SEE PICKSExpress KidN/ASEE PICKSPretty Boy MiahN/ASEE PICKS

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