Jockey Poco Lopez atop Napoleon Solo in front of the pack at the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park is the winner of the horse race on Sat May 16, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Jessica Kwong
Napoleon Solo returned to form Saturday evening, surging past the leaders around the far turn and holding off Iron Honor to win the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park.
With the race temporarily moved from Pimlico Race Course because of ongoing renovations, the colt trained by Chad Summers handled the unfamiliar stage better than anyone in the 14-horse field. Ridden by Paco Lopez, Napoleon Solo finished the 1 3/16-mile race in 1:58.69 and paid $17.80 to win after going off at better than 7-1 odds.
Napoleon Solo tracked comfortably behind the early pace before Lopez guided him outside entering the stretch. Once clear, the colt steadily pulled away and had enough left to fend off Iron Honor’s late push near the wire.
“We’ve had everything go wrong,” said Summers on the NBC broadcast. “We’ve just kinda stayed the course and stayed the course. We had a lot of critics out there that told us to just shut up and we just kept with it and it worked out today.”
Owner Al Gold praised the trainer.
“He’s the best,” said Gold. “He wanted this. This is his dream. He loves the game. I’m really happy for him.”
Iron Honor finished second, 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner, while Chip Honcho placed third. Early favorite Taj Mahal set a sharp pace through the opening fractions but faded badly in the stretch and finished 10th.
Napoleon Solo entered the race with questions surrounding his recent form after back-to-back fifth-place finishes earlier this spring. The colt showed promise as a 2-year-old, including a victory in the Champagne Stakes, though he failed to carry that momentum into the Kentucky Derby trail. Saturday’s performance marked his first win of the year and the biggest victory yet for Summers, who was making his debut in a Triple Crown race.
The race unfolded without the possibility of a Triple Crown champion after Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness to rest for the Belmont Stakes. That decision helped create one of the more open fields in recent years, and bettors spread support across several contenders throughout the week.
Saturday also marked a rare change in scenery for one of horse racing’s most recognizable events. Laurel Park hosted the Preakness for the first time while renovations continue at Pimlico, the race’s longtime home in Baltimore.
Attendance was significantly smaller than a traditional Preakness crowd, with Laurel’s limited capacity creating a quieter atmosphere than the packed grandstands usually associated with the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
The victory immediately places Napoleon Solo among the leading contenders for next month’s Belmont Stakes, though no official decision on his next start has been announced.
The final race of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, takes place on June 6.
Preakness Stakes 2026 running order:
- Napoleon Solo
- Iron Honor
- Chip Honcho
- Ocelli
- Incredibolt
- Bull By The Horns
- The Hell We Did
- Great White
- Robusta
- Taj Mahal
- Corona De Oro
- Talkin
- Crupper
- Pretty Boy Miah
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