Preakness Stakes 2026 predictions, odds, horses: Win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, superfecta best bets

For the third time in five years and fifth time since 2019, the Preakness Stakes will go without a true shot at a Triple Crown. This year's Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo, is skipping the Preakness Stakes 2026 to concentrate on the June 6 Belmont Stakes. It is the second consecutive year that the Derby winner has chosen to skip the Preakness. Last year, Sovereignty skipped it before going on to win the Belmont.

The last Triple Crown winner was Justify in 2018. Saturday's race from Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., is scheduled to start at 6:50 p.m. ET. Iron Honor (9-2) enters as the favorite in the 2026 Preakness Stakes odds, with four other horses at 6-1 or lower. With so much to consider while making your 2026 Preakness Stakes picks, a little expert help can go a long way.

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Since 1909, when the starting gate was introduced at the Preakness, a majority of the starters have come from gate No. 8 or lower. Gate No. 6 has the most winners with 17. That bodes well for Chip Honcho (5-1), who will be at gate No. 6 on Saturday. Rombauer in 2021 was the last horse to win from that post position.

The last three Preakness winners have started at gate No. 5 or lower. Last year, Journalism won from gate No. 2. Seize the Grey was at post No. 5 in 2024, while National Treasure in 2023 was at post No. 1. Among gates 1-7, the No. 3 post has the longest drought with the last winner coming in 2014 when California Chrome was victorious.

Given all the history of the race, there's a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Preakness Stakes like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2026 Preakness Stakes picks possible.

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.

Now, with the 2026 Preakness Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2026 Preakness Stakes betting predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.

Top 2026 Preakness Stakes expert picks

Here's a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine's Jody Demling:

Preakness Stakes Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $33.80 at the 2025 Preakness Stakes with Journalism and Gosger.

Preakness Stakes Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $73.50 at the 2025 Preakness Stakes with Journalism, Gosger and Sandman.

Preakness Stakes Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $303.40 at the 2025 Preakness Stakes with Journalism, Gosger, Sandman and Goal Oriented.

While Iron Honor is the 9-2 favorite, Demling is high on Napoleon Solo (8-1), despite the colt not being among the top five favorites. "The son of Liam's Map will likely be near the front of the pack; he finished fifth in the Wood Memorial and is not without a shot to hit the board," Demling told SportsLine. He is also building his tickets around an epic double-digit longshot "with a chance" to win it all", spicing up his 2026 Preakness Stakes exotics. You can see his picks here. 

Bet the Preakness Stakes at 1/ST BET, where you can get up to $500 in wagering credits ($20 per $100 wagered):

How to make 2026 Preakness Stakes bets

Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Preakness Stakes 2026. He's sharing them over at SportsLine.

So which horses do you take, and in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling's picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2026 Preakness Stakes.

2026 Preakness Stakes odds, futures, horses, post positions