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The 2026 Preakness Stakes will take place Saturday, May 16, marking a historic change for the Triple Crown race as it temporarily leaves Pimlico Race Course for Laurel Park in Maryland.
This year’s Preakness is the 151st running of the race and arrives with major changes both on and off the track. Not only is the event being held away from Pimlico for the first time in more than a century, but Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo and Derby runner-up Renegade will also skip the race.
Fans can watch full-day coverage beginning Saturday afternoon on NBC and Peacock as a new group of contenders competes for the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
The 2026 Preakness Stakes will air live on NBC, with streaming options available through Peacock and several live-TV platforms.
2026 Preakness Stakes Viewing Information
Date: Saturday, May 16
Location: Laurel Park, Laurel, Maryland
Coverage Begins: 1 p.m. ET
Main Race Coverage: 4 p.m. ET
TV Channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV, YouTube TV, and other live streaming services
The race itself will once again serve as the middle leg of the Triple Crown between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
The Preakness Stakes is being held at Laurel Park while Pimlico Race Course undergoes a large-scale renovation project.
Officials expect Pimlico to reopen before the 2027 Preakness Stakes.
Despite the venue change, the race remains a $2 million event and will feature a full 14-horse field.
Only three horses from the Kentucky Derby are returning for the Preakness: Ocelli, Robusta, and Incredibolt.
Golden Tempo, who won the Kentucky Derby in dramatic fashion earlier this month, will skip the race along with Derby runner-up Renegade and contender Crude Velocity.
Their trainers instead chose to focus on the Belmont Stakes in June.
Following the official draw, the 14-horse field for the 2026 Preakness Stakes includes several fresh contenders, including frontrunner Iron Honor, entering the Triple Crown trail for the first time.
Full 2026 Preakness Stakes Field
No 1: Taj Mahal (5-1)
No 2: Ocelli (6-1)
No 3: Crupper (30-1)
No 4: Robusta (30-1)
No 5: Talkin (20-1)
No 6: Chip Honcho (5-1)
No 7: The Hell We Did (15-1)
No 8: Bull by the Horns (30-1)
No 9: Iron Honor (9-2)
No 10: Napoleon Solo (8-1)
No 11: Corona De Oro (30-1)
No 12: Incredibolt (5-1)
No 13: Great White (15-1)
No 14: Pretty Boy Miah
Golden Tempo’s absence from the Preakness has reignited discussion around the spacing of Triple Crown races, according to ESPN.
Some within horse racing have questioned whether modern thoroughbreds can consistently compete at the highest level on only two weeks of rest between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
The conversation previously intensified during the 37-year gap between Triple Crown winners Affirmed in 1978 and American Pharoah in 2015.
It resurfaced again in 2025 when trainer Bill Mott chose to have Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty skip the Preakness.
Journalism went on to win the Preakness before finishing second behind Sovereignty in the Belmont Stakes.
Some industry observers have suggested moving the Preakness back from its traditional spot on the third Saturday in May to allow more recovery time for Derby runners.
However, such a change would likely require adjusting the Belmont Stakes schedule as well if officials wanted to preserve the traditional six-week Triple Crown format.
Officials still expect all three Triple Crown races to return to their traditional homes and distances beginning in 2027 once renovation projects are complete.
Perry Miller Carpenter Perry Carpenter is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. She is also a standout contributor at Heavy.com’s sister site Entertainment Now. More about Perry Miller Carpenter
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