The Preakness Stakes moves to Laurel, Maryland, for its 151st running, with trainers Brittany Russell and Riley Mott among those sending contenders to Laurel Park instead of Pimlico in Baltimore; the race will run on May 16, 2026, with 14 three-year-olds chasing a $2 million purse and NBC broadcast coverage. Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby winner, will not run, removing any Triple Crown possibility, while the weekend has been darkened by the death of Hit Zero after a first-career race. Trainers named in the lineup include John Ennis, D. Whitworth Beckman, Chad Brown and Cherie DeVaux, and Russell’s Taj Mahal arrives unbeaten at this track. The move from Pimlico, the field size, the odds board and the human stories around women trainers set the scene for a very different Preakness than usual.
For the first time, organizers are staging the Preakness away from historic Pimlico Race Course while Baltimore’s track undergoes construction aimed at getting it ready for future seasons. Laurel Park sits roughly 20 miles south of Pimlico, still within Maryland but offering a new layout and a familiar Mid-Atlantic racing circuit for trainers and fans. The shift changes routines and strategy because a different track surface and configuration can favor certain running styles and preparations. That reality matters when 14 colts and fillies are packed into a single race for a big purse.
Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby winner, is not in the lineup, so a Triple Crown run is off the table this spring. That removes one narrative thread but opens the race to fresh storylines about jockey calls, trainer decisions and which three-year-olds can seize the spotlight. Among the betting favorites are Taj Mahal, trained by Brittany Russell, and Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, both listed at 5-1 odds. Those numbers suggest a competitive board rather than a runaway favorite.
Other horses worth watching include Great White, prepared by John Ennis and listed at 7-1, and Ocelli and Iron Honor, trained by D. Whitworth Beckman and Chad Brown respectively, both pegged at 8-1. The field is deep and diverse: it includes three Kentucky Derby starters—Ocelli, Robusta and Incredibolt—while Great White was scratched from the Derby but is back for the Preakness. Fourteen entrants mark the largest field in 15 years, and that density can lead to traffic, split-second decisions and the usual chaos in the stretch run.
GOLDEN TEMPO TRAINER CHERIE DEVAUX CALLS CRITICISM OF PREAKNESS DECISION UNFAIR: ‘THE HORSE IS NOT A MACHINE’
The weekend took on a somber tone when Hit Zero, trained by Brittany Russell, collapsed and died after finishing last in its first career start on Friday. According to on-track accounts, Hit Zero began coughing, went to its knees, bowed its head and passed away after crossing the line, an outcome that stunned connections and onlookers. Those moments are a reminder of the sport’s risks and the fragile lives behind the competition, and they cast an emotional shadow over the upcoming Preakness. Fans and participants alike will be watching closely for any signs of trouble as the second Triple Crown leg proceeds.
The Preakness draws attention for more than horses; it’s spotlight time for trainers too, and female trainers are part of that script this year. Cherie DeVaux made history as the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby, and Brittany Russell now aims to become the first woman trainer to win the Preakness with Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal arrives having won all three of his starts at Laurel Park, a tidy form line that raises expectations and questions about how Laurel will play for the big day. Those storylines will dominate chatter in the paddock and the winner’s circle, no matter which horse crosses first.
CHERIE DEVAUX REFLECTS ON MAKING KENTUCKY DERBY HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE TRAINER TO WIN THE RACE
Only three Preakness entrants competed in the Kentucky Derby: Ocelli, who finished third; Robusta, who placed 14th; and Incredibolt, who finished sixth. That relatively small overlap with the Derby field is notable and is only the second time in the last 40 years that both the first- and second-place Derby finishers are absent from the Preakness. With so many new matchups and a big field, trainers will be balancing pace, positioning and post-race recovery in ways that could reshape early-season pecking order among three-year-olds. Bettors and fans should expect the unexpected when the gates open at Laurel.
Practical details for the event are straightforward: the Preakness runs at Laurel, Maryland, on May 16, 2026, with a projected post time of 6:50 p.m. Eastern and NBC carrying the telecast. The purse sits at $2 million, underscoring the race’s prestige even with the venue change. For followers who want instant updates, coverage and conversation will appear on social platforms as the card unfolds; you can follow sports coverage on X at https://twitter.com/FoxNewsSports_. Expect horsemen, owners and trainers to offer candid takes after the race, especially given recent events and the rare circumstances surrounding this year’s Preakness.
