The Preakness Stakes is one of horse racing's most storied events, and while the 2026 edition brings a change of scenery, the excitement is as high as ever. This year, the race moves to Laurel Park as Pimlico Race Course undergoes a massive $400 million renovation, with the event set to return to Baltimore in 2027. The crowd may be smaller—limited to just under 5,000 fans compared to the 100,000-plus that packed the stands in previous decades—but the competition promises to be anything but subdued.
Five horses are vying for favorite status heading into Saturday's race, with Iron Honor leading the pack at 9-2 odds. Close behind are Incredibolt, Chip Honcho, and Taj Mahal, all sitting at 5-1, while Ocelli rounds out the top contenders at 6-1. With such a tight field, making smart picks for win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta bets requires a keen eye and a bit of expert guidance.
History reminds us that the Kentucky Derby has seen its share of longshot surprises—think Rich Strike at 80-1 in 2022 or Country House at 65-1 in 2019, not to mention Golden Tempo's 23-1 upset just two weeks ago. The Preakness has been more forgiving to favorites, but double-digit winners have emerged. Over the past dozen years, three horses at 12-1 odds have claimed victory, including Seize the Grey in 2024, who shocked the field. Last year, Journalism dominated from start to finish as the favorite. With only five horses at 20-1 or higher in this year's race, nine strong contenders remain in the mix, making for a wide-open field.
That's where expert analysis comes in. Jody Demling, a longtime fixture in the horse racing world, has a proven track record of picking winners. He called the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in exact order and has nailed 11 of the last 21 Preakness winners, including a perfect sweep of the winner, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta in 2023. He also hit the trifecta in the 2024 Preakness and correctly predicted Journalism as last year's champion. For anyone looking to place smart bets this Saturday, following Demling's insights could make all the difference.