Story perspectives

Preakness Moves to Laurel Park, $2 M Purse, Taj Mahal Favored

5/11/2026

Summary

Taj Mahal Leads Field

The 151st Preakness Stakes will be run at Laurel Park on Saturday, May 16, 2026, with a $2 million purse.
The draw on Monday, May 11, 2026, will set a 13-horse field after Golden Tempo, Crude Velocity and Silent Tactic are scratched.
Taj Mahal (trainer Brittany Russell) leads at 7/2, with Ocelli at 5/1 and Incredibolt—a Derby sixth-place finisher who will ride jockey Jaime Torres—joining Ocelli and Robusta as the three Derby runners.

Summary

Golden Tempo Skips

Golden Tempo will skip the 2025 Preakness, the sixth Derby winner to do so in eight years.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux said the horse’s health and future take priority over racing the Preakness.
The 2025 Preakness will be held at Laurel Park, about 28 miles from Pimlico, because Pimlico is undergoing a $400 million renovation.

Summary

Braken Poppa Extends

Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes runs Friday with Braken Poppa extending his four-race streak.
Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained runner from Gulfstream Park will ship to Friday’s card, while two Laurel horses exit Weber City Miss race and stakes at Laurel and Pimlico create betting angles.
Ribaltagaia, 5-year-old mare trained by Graham Motion, returned from a seven-month layoff to finish third in the Dahlia Stakes at Laurel on April 18, length behind Summerintahoe.

History

Historical Context

Secretariat’s dominant 1973 Preakness win at Pimlico—recorded at 1:53 and drawing 61,657 spectators—re-energized the Triple Crown and set enduring time standards. Jockey Ron Turcotte guided him, and the race was broadcast nationally, underscoring the event’s wide appeal. That historic surge helped cement the Preakness as a premier, high-purse event, a legacy the 2026 race builds on as it seeks nationwide attention.

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Taj Mahal Leads Field

The 151st Preakness Stakes will be run at Laurel Park on Saturday, May 16, 2026, with a $2 million purse.
The draw on Monday, May 11, 2026, will set a 13-horse field after Golden Tempo, Crude Velocity and Silent Tactic are scratched.
Taj Mahal (trainer Brittany Russell) leads at 7/2, with Ocelli at 5/1 and Incredibolt—a Derby sixth-place finisher who will ride jockey Jaime Torres—joining Ocelli and Robusta as the three Derby runners.

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