The Laurel Park leap – 5 betting angles for a wide-open Preakness Stakes

Horse Racing

Jonhenry Wilson
May 14, 2026 6:37 am

The 151st Preakness Stakes arrives on Saturday, with a unique backdrop that has handicappers tearing up their traditional Pimlico playbooks.

Due to a $400 million redevelopment of Old Hilltop, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown has moved to Laurel Park for a one-year residency.

With Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo bypassing the race to rest for the Belmont, the field is wide open, offering juicy odds for those willing to look past the chalk.

Here are five key takeaways to consider before you hit the window.

1. The Baffert factor meets Crude Velocity

Despite the venue change, one thing remains constant: Bob Baffert. Seeking a record-extending ninth Preakness win, Baffert saddles the early 4-1 favourite, Crude Velocity.

This colt is 3-for-3 with a massive 100 Beyer Speed Figure, but there’s a catch for bettors: all his wins have come around a single turn. Moving to a two-turn, 1 3/16-mile distance is a major question mark, making him a vulnerable favourite if the pace gets hot.

2. The home field advantage: Taj Mahal

Bettors hunting for value should look no further than Taj Mahal (20-1). While most of the field is flying into Maryland, this undefeated colt lives at Laurel Park.

Trained by Brittany Russell, who has dominated the Maryland circuit for three years, Taj Mahal won the local qualifier, the Federico Tesio, by a staggering 8 1/4 lengths. In a race where track familiarity is a new variable, a 20-1 local hero is the ideal longshot.

Also read: Four British-trained horses to watch in the 2026 flat season

3. A new geometry: why the move matters

Handicapping the Preakness usually involves looking for horses that can handle Pimlico’s notoriously tight turns. Laurel Park is a different beast:

Wider turns: These favour balanced horses rather than those that rely on shooting the rail.

Longer homestretch: Pimlico’s short stretch often rewards early speed. Laurel’s longer run-in gives deep closers like Sandman (25-1) a legitimate chance to reel in the leaders.

4. The Derby bounce and fresh legs

History tells us the Preakness is usually won by a horse that ran in the Kentucky Derby, but recent trends are shifting. In the last decade, four winners, including last year’s Seize the Grey, did not run in the Derby.

With Golden Tempo out, the new shooters (horses skipping the Derby) like Iron Honor (19-1) bring fresh legs to a race where fatigue often sets in for those coming off the Churchill Downs grind.

5. Betting the exotics: the maiden wildcard

In a historic twist, Ocelli is aiming to be the first maiden (a horse that hasn’t won a race) to win the Preakness in 138 years. He nearly pulled off the upset of the century in the Derby, leading at the sixteenth pole before finishing third.

While betting a maiden to win at the G1 level is risky, his consistency makes him a “must-use” in Trifecta and Superfecta tickets.

The post-position draw on Monday evening will finalize the strategy, but with a new track and no Triple Crown on the line, this is a year to bet against the obvious and embrace the Maryland chaos.