2026 Preakness Stakes: Prime time, where to watch and TV channel for annual race
The second and shortest leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown will take place on Saturday at the 2026 Preakness Stakes. For the first time since 1908, the Preakness Stakes will be held away from Pimlico Race Course, which is being rebuilt. Instead, the race will be held at Laurel Park in Maryland.
The change of venue isn’t the only thing notable about this year’s Preakness Stakes. This year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo, they will not participate in the race. That means there won’t be a new Triple Crown winner this summer, leaving Justify as the latest horse to do so in 2018. It also marks the second year in a row — and third in five years — that the winner of the Kentucky Derby will skip the Preakness Stakes.
One of the favorites this week is Iron Honor trained by Chad Brown who has won twice in this race. It is the only Triple Crown race in which Brown has seen success, with his horses winning in 2017 and 2022. Iron Honor struggled in his semifinal race leading up to the Preakness where he finished seventh at the Wood Memorial on April 7.
“[Iron Honor] seems to be getting into a good place in the last few weeks. We like what we see. He’s very much alive in the race,” Brown told BloodHorse.com. “I see it as a reset. He has a lot to prove. His two wins were in one turn and his worst race was two turns. He is certainly bred to run the Preakness distance, being by Nyquist out of the Blame mare. And you train as if you want to go for a long time. “
Saturday should be good for the track with clear skies and warm temperatures expected. That should make for a cracking race given the clean conditions, as we saw in the Kentucky Derby, which led to a wide-open race and the impressive finishing form of Golden Tempo who moved from the back of the pack to the winner’s circle down the stretch.
Below is everything you need to know about the 151st Preakness Stakes.
Where to watch the 2026 Preakness stakes
Date: Saturday, May 16
Post time: 6:50 pm ET
Location: Laurel Park – Laurel, Maryland
TV: NBC | Broadcast: Peacock (subscription required)
2026 Preakness Stakes odds, listed in the post
Odds with FanDuel
1. Taj Mahal (5-1)
2. Ocelli (6-1)
3. Crupper (30-1)
4. Robusta (30-1)
5. Talkin (20-1)
6. Chip Honcho (5-1)
7 The Source He Made (15-1)
8. Horned Bull (30-1)
9. Steel Honor (9/2)
10. Napoleon Solo (8-1)
11. Corona De Oro (30-1)
12. Incredibolt (5-1)
13. Great White (15-1)
14. Big Boy Miya (15-1)
Where are the Preakness Stakes?
For 118 years, the Preakness States have been held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. However, that success will end this year as the 2026 Preakness Stakes will be run at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland while Pimlico undergoes a $400 million renovation.
How long is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is 1 3/16 miles long, making it the shortest leg of the American Triple Crown.
Which horse wins the 2026 Preakness Stakes, and which incredible longshot should return? Visit SportsLine to see Jody Demling’s picks for the Preakness Stakes, all from the pro who drove the last three winners.
