Preakness Betting Tips 2026

The Preakness Stakes, along with the Belmont Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, make up one-third of America's Triple Crown. The 151st race takes place on May 16 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, as Pimlico Race Course undergoes a major renovation. It is a Grade One run over 9.5 furlongs on dirt, open to both colts and geldings.

This page is designed to introduce you to everything you need to k...

The Preakness Stakes, along with the Belmont Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, make up one-third of America's Triple Crown. The 151st race takes place on May 16 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, as Pimlico Race Course undergoes a major renovation. It is a Grade One run over 9.5 furlongs on dirt, open to both colts and geldings.

This page is designed to introduce you to everything you need to know about this prestigious annual contest, including Preakness betting tips, course information, and the best bookmakers to place your wagers. We also discuss some stats and the history of the track to help you make informed decisions for the events in our sports betting events calendar.

Brad Thomas Sep 30, 2020

What are the Preakness Stakes best bets?

As with any horse race, many wagers can be placed, like a daily double horse bet, but the most obvious is the outright winner. This is a simple one on the horse that you believe will come first in the race in question. So, in the case of Preakness Stakes best bets, the smartest wager is to back the horse you have decided has the greatest chance of success.

Of course, you can always back your pick each way, which means that your selection doesn’t have to win in order to generate a return. Some bookies may pay out on extra places as a special promotion, especially on a race as big as this. You can also have a bet on the first two or three horses home.

These bets are known as forecasts and tricasts and require you to select the first and second, or maybe even third, horses home, but all in the correct order. For a little extra money, you can alter the odds by twisting things up with a reverse forecast or tricast, meaning that the same two or three selections can finish in any order.

Horse’s bloodline and age

Another critical thing to investigate prior to parting with your money and making your Preakness Stakes predictions is to consider your horse’s heritage or pedigree. All racehorses will have a blood...

Another critical thing to investigate prior to parting with your money and making your Preakness Stakes predictions is to consider your horse’s heritage or pedigree. All racehorses will have a bloodline, but some might have a more valuable one than others. Maybe they were sired by a legend of the sport.

This is often the case as owners pay a lot of money to purchase a horse whose parents were wildly successful and won many big races. Also, consider the age of your selection and look into the average age of the winners over the years. In the case of the Preakness, all horses are three-year-olds, so pedigree matters more than age alone.

Jockey is a crucial variable

Finally, when making your Preakness Stakes best bets, consider the person in the saddle, the jockey. Like a racing driver, these people do the hard work at the end of the day. Similarly to the trainer...

Finally, when making your Preakness Stakes best bets, consider the person in the saddle, the jockey. Like a racing driver, these people do the hard work at the end of the day. Similarly to the trainer, look at their record in this race. If they have won this event before, you know they have the quality, experience and knowledge to do it again.

Ask yourself whether or not this jockey regularly works with the same trainer, as is often the case, and how familiar they are with the horse. It might well be that this is a new ride for them, or it could be that they have enjoyed many races together.

What should I know about the Laurel Park?

Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, is hosting the 2026 Preakness while Pimlico undergoes a $400 million renovation. The race is expected to return to Pimlico in 2027. Laurel features a tighter first tur...

Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, is hosting the 2026 Preakness while Pimlico undergoes a $400 million renovation. The race is expected to return to Pimlico in 2027. Laurel features a tighter first turn and a longer stretch than Pimlico, which may favour tactical stalker-style runners over pure front-runners. The track runs on dirt and is left-handed.

How To Build A Preakness Betting Strategy?

When it comes to this Preakness Stakes betting guide, there are several key stats and past trends we need to consider. Below, we have listed some points worth factoring in when making your Preakness Stakes picks.

Over the past ten renewals, a record winning time of 1:53.28 was set by Swiss Skydiver i...

When it comes to this Preakness Stakes betting guide, there are several key stats and past trends we need to consider. Below, we have listed some points worth factoring in when making your Preakness Stakes picks.

Over the past ten renewals, a record winning time of 1:53.28 was set by Swiss Skydiver in 2020.
The record-breaking horse was trained by Kenneth McPeek and ridden by Robby Albarado.
By comparison, the slowest winning time was set five years earlier in 2015, when American Pharoah won at 1:58.46.
If players were to follow the winning jockey a year later, then, in the last decade, they would only have backed a total of one winner.
Bob Baffert and Wayne Lukas are considered among the top trainers with a proven record of wins on this track.
Only six fillies have won the race.
At the same time, Victor Espinoza won the race two times, making him the most successful jockey of that time.

Should I bet On The Preakness Stakes Favourites?

Last updated: Jun 16, 2026

From 2001 to 2015, eight of 15 favourites won the Preakness, and only three finished out of the money. In the past six years, only one favourite has won, which was the 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Between 2001 and 2015, only eight out of fifteen favourites have gone on to win the Preakness.

Also, only three have finished outside of the money. The last time a market leader won the Preakness was Justify, who also claimed the Triple Crown. This is worth factoring in when making your Preakness Stakes predictions because these things don’t happen by accident. Following the same pattern, you can also pick the highest prices and win with our Breeders Cup betting tips.

Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby, but skipped the Preakness. It's the second consecutive year the Kentucky Derby winner has bypassed the event, following Sovereignty's decision to skip it in 2025. That leaves the market more open than usual and makes the favourites case even less clear-cut than in a typical year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Preakness horse race held?

The Preakness Stakes is traditionally held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. For 2026, the race moves temporarily to Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, while Pimlico undergoes a $400 million renovation. The race is expected to return to Pimlico in 2027.

How many horses have won the Triple Crown?

So far in its illustrious history, 13 horses have won the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The most recent winner is Justify in 2018. He is only the second since 1978 to do so after American Pharoah won all three races back in 2015. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the 2026 Preakness, so there will be no Triple Crown contender this year.

What is the most popular Preakness Stakes betting market?

As with all horse races, the most famous wager is the outright winner of the race. This is due to the very nature of the sport. But, of course, betting each way is another popular option and one that offers you the chance to get your money back should your horse not win.

Should I back more than two horses?

That is entirely up to you. If you have more than one pick in mind, it may be a good idea to back more than one pick. But it is always important to stay within your limits and never bet more than you can afford to lose.

When is the Preakness Stakes 2026?

The Preakness Stakes 2025 renewal will take place on the 16th of May at the Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, USA. This race is scheduled to occur annually on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. This year’s Run for the race will be the 151th renewal of this prestigious event.

How many horses are in the Preakness?

The field size of the Preakness Stakes is currently limited to a maximum of 14 horses. That is fewer runners than are allowed to compete in the Kentucky Derby, another leg of the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.

Where can I bet on the Preakness?

Most online bookmakers will offer Preakness betting markets, especially after the Kentucky Derby has been run at Churchill Downs. This is due to the fact that the races are close together in the calendar, and the result of one strongly influences the betting on the other.

Has a filly ever won the Preakness Stakes?

Yes, six fillies have won the Preakness Stakes in its long history: Flocarline (1903), Whimsical (1906), Rhine Maiden (1915), Nellie Morse (1924), Rachel Alexandra (2009), and Swiss Skydiver (2020).