2026 Preakness Stakes picks: Best long-shot bets to win middle jewel of the Triple Crown
The 2026 Preakness Stakes features a weakened field, with recent Kentucky Derby winners skipping the race and only two Derby participants entering. Despite the lack of star power, the competitive depth and pace dynamics favor long-shot closers. Horses like Talkin and Bull by the Horns are highlighted as potential value bets at high odds.
- ▪Golden Tempo and Sovereignty, the past two Kentucky Derby winners, did not enter the 2026 Preakness Stakes.
- ▪Only two horses from the Kentucky Derby, Ocelli and Incredibolt, are competing in the Preakness.
- ▪Talkin, at 20-1 odds, is ridden by top jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and benefits from a pace-heavy field.
- ▪Bull by the Horns, a 30-1 long shot, won the Rushaway Stakes in a come-from-behind performance.
- ▪The 14-horse field is dominated by front-runners, setting up potential for a closer to win.
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Betting 2026 Preakness Stakes picks: Best long-shot bets to win middle jewel of the Triple Crown By Michael Leboff Published May 16, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET Talkin warming up for the Preakness Stakes. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The Preakness Stakes have taken a hit in recent years. The past two Kentucky Derby winners, Golden Tempo and Sovereignty, have skipped the trip to Maryland, and only two horses from this year’s Run for the Roses (Ocelli and Incredibolt) are in the field for Saturday’s middle jewel. For casuals, it’s a bummer and will certainly crater the ratings. But that doesn’t mean that the Preakness Stakes won’t deliver.
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