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Iron Honor skipped the Kentucky Derby entirely after a troubled seventh-place Wood Memorial finish, with trainer Chad Brown pointing directly at the 2026 Preakness Stakes as his goal. That makes Saturday’s race at Laurel Park his most important start yet, and bettors must decide how much faith to place in a horse who has not run since April.
Iron Honor leads the 2026 Preakness Stakes odds at 9-2, with Taj Mahal, Chip Honcho, and Incredibolt all at 5-1, Ocelli at 6-1, and Napoleon Solo at 8-1, rounding out the single-digit Preakness Stakes 2026 contenders. 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.
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Now, with the 2026 Preakness Stakes field now set, 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 Napoleon Solo at 8-1. Liam’s Map colt was unbeaten across two starts as a juvenile, including a dominant six-length victory in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, and arrives at Laurel Park having recently returned to top form after minor ailments slowed his Derby prep. A pair of sharp six-furlong breezes in recent weeks signals he is back to his best, and as a natural front-runner in a field where pace will be contested, he has the profile to win it all from post 10.
Jody Demling notes that Napoleon Solo “is not without a shot to hit the board” in the 2026 Preakness Stakes, and the numbers back that up. His Equibase Speed Figure of 99 is tied with Ocelli for the highest in the field. Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz, aboard Chip Honcho, likely to push the pace, Napoleon Solo figures to benefit from a fast early tempo that could leave him in a prime striking position turning for home at Laurel Park. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
Another surprise: He’s fading Chip Honcho, even though he’s one of the favorites at 5-1. The horse is 0 for 3 over his last three starts, with just one of those being an ITM finish. He finished fifth in his last race at the Louisiana Derby, which is the exact same distance as the Preakness Stakes. Chip Honcho will also have to adjust to extended rest, and potentially rust, as he’ll be coming off nearly a two-month break after racing once a month from October 2025 thru March 2026.
The horse is trained by two-time Preakness winner Steve Asmussen, but it’s been a while since Asmussen was in the winner’s circle. The Hall of Famer last won in 2009, while he’s 0 for 13 with Preakness starters since then. He’s had as many horses finish ninth or worse (four) as he’s had ITM finishes over this stretch as Demling as steering clear of Chip Honcho with Preakness Stakes picks. See which other horses to fade at SportsLine.
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How to make 2026 Preakness Stakes picks, bets
Demling is also especially high on an epic double-digit longshot “with a chance” to win it all. 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.
