Preakness Field Offers Handicapping Intrigue Despite Missing Derby Stars
LAUREL, Md. – Despite ongoing discussions about absent horses and the temporary venue change, the 151st Preakness Stakes proceeds Saturday on its traditional calendar date, presenting a compelling 14-horse field at Laurel Park.
The race marks the third time in five years without the Kentucky Derby winner, and only the second instance this century missing both the Derby champion and runner-up. Golden Tempo and Renegade join the list of horses bypassing the middle jewel for the June 6 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, following the precedent set in 2019 when War of Will captured the Preakness without the Derby’s top two finishers.
The two-week turnaround from Churchill Downs remains the primary deterrent for Derby participants, fueling ongoing discussions about potentially extending the gap to three or four weeks—conversations that will continue beyond Saturday’s race.
Temporary Venue, Full Field
Laurel Park, located 23 miles south of renovation-bound Pimlico, hosts the 1 3/16-mile contest before a capped crowd of 4,800. The 14-horse field marks the eighth time the Preakness has reached capacity, the first occurrence since 2011.
Three Derby participants venture to Maryland: third-place finisher Ocelli, sixth-place Incredibolt, and 14th-place Robusta.
Maiden Seeks History
Ocelli’s Derby performance belied his maiden status. The 70-1 shot briefly seized the lead in deep stretch before Golden Tempo and Renegade swept past, leaving him one length behind at the wire.
Trainer Whit Beckman initially planned to skip the Preakness but reconsidered after Ocelli’s impressive recovery. The anticipated pace scenario adds to Beckman’s confidence.
“It looks like it could set up the right way, but even if it doesn’t set up the perfect way, this horse, depending on how fast they go, can be pretty tactical in terms of his placement,” Beckman explained. “I think he wants a target, but he doesn’t have to be all the way out of the back, either.”
Historical records show six maidens won the Preakness between 1873-1888, while only four have attempted the feat from 1976-2025. Tyler Gaffalione rides from post 2.
Late Addition Could Be Favorite
Incredibolt’s last-minute entry positions him as a potential favorite. The sole graded stakes winner around two turns finished just four lengths behind in the Derby. His accomplishments include the Grade 3 Street Sense at 2 and the Virginia Derby at 3.
“I’m happy we came to the conclusion and decision to enter. It’s not every day that you’re single-digit odds in a Triple Crown race,” Riley Mott stated. “I’m glad we were able to be flexible and change our course of action. Horse is doing well and on paper he looks competitive, but you can make a case for 10 different horses in there that could jump up and win.”
Jaime Torres, who won the 2024 Preakness aboard Seize the Grey, partners with Incredibolt from post 12.
Female Trainer Seeks Historic Victory
Following Cherie DeVaux’s groundbreaking Derby triumph and Jena Antonucci’s 2023 Belmont Stakes victory with Arcangelo, Brittany Russell attempts to become the first female trainer to capture the Preakness after 16 previous attempts.
Russell’s undefeated Taj Mahal faces his toughest test after three Laurel victories. The rail draw likely commits the speedy colt to front-running tactics under jockey Sheldon Russell, the trainer’s husband.
“He just has to get away good, it’s that simple, right?” Brittany Russell acknowledged. “Did I want to have to commit to going with the rail being our draw? Maybe not, but we’re just going to have to see how it plays out. He’s a good gate horse.”
Grade 1 Winner Questions Distance
Napoleon Solo brings Grade 1 credentials but distance concerns. After a troubled fifth in February’s Fountain of Youth and a better-than-it-looked fifth in the Wood Memorial while managing a foot issue, trainer Chad Summers expects forward placement.
“I don’t envision a scenario where he’s not in front turning for home. Hopefully, I have him fit enough and tight enough to get the last quarter-mile,” Summers said.
Proven Trainers Return
Two-time Preakness winners Steve Asmussen (Curlin 2007, Rachel Alexandra 2009) and Chad Brown (Cloud Computing 2017, Early Voting 2022) saddle Chip Honcho and Iron Honor, respectively. Both horses earned Derby qualifying points but were held out of Louisville.
Asmussen secured Jose Ortiz, fresh off his Derby victory, for Chip Honcho. The trainer hopes for a moderate pace to suit his charge’s style, noting his best effort came when narrowly defeated by Paladin in the Grade 2 Risen Star.
“How the race unfolds with 14 horses is going to dictate the outcome. He is a horse that’s capable of running fast enough to win it,” Asmussen assessed.
Brown removes blinkers from Iron Honor following an aggressive Wood Memorial seventh, hoping for a more relaxed trip after the Grade 3 Gotham winner’s first-turn trouble.
Speed Horses Abound
Additional pace factors include Robusta (Grade 2 San Felipe runner-up), Corona de Oro (Lexington pacesetter), and Pretty Boy Miah (two wins since adding blinkers).
Longshot Considerations
Danny Gargan, who captured the 2024 Belmont with 17-1 Dornoch, sends out Talkin. The Grade 1 Champagne runner-up to Napoleon Solo recovered from post-Remsen illness but delivered moderate efforts in the Sam Davis (fifth) and Blue Grass (third).
“I think he’s on the improve. We kind of knew going in we were behind starting off late. I think if he goes forward, like he’s gone forward every race this year, I think we’re right there,” Gargan projected.
Additional longshots include Bathhouse Row winner Crupper, Lexington runner-up The Hell We Did, synthetic specialist Bull by the Horns (Rushaway Stakes), and Great White, who overcame his Derby gate mishap to make the field.
The Preakness runs as race 13 (approximately 7:01 p.m. Eastern) on a 14-race program beginning at 10:30 a.m., featuring eight additional stakes. Weather forecasts predict partly sunny skies with temperatures reaching 83 degrees.
