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Napoleon Solo took home the 2026 Preakness Stakes on Saturday, the 151st running of the race.
The race was run without the Kentucky Derby winner for the second consecutive year. After Sovereignty didn’t run the Preakness last year — and ended up winning the Belmont Stakes — the Golden Tempo training team opted to skip the Maryland race.
From 1960 to 2018, only three Derby winners did not run in the Preakness. Three Derby winners have skipped the Preakness in the past five years, and for the sixth time in eight years, the Triple Crown had already been out of reach for various reasons by the time the Preakness even rolled around.
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A Preakness branded starting gate is seen on the track prior to the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, 2026 in Laurel, Maryland. For the first and only time, Laurel Park will host the Preakness Stakes, the second race of the Triple Crown jewel, due to the traditional home of the race at Pimlico Race Course undergoing a complete renovation. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
“I understand that fans of the sport or fans of the Triple Crown are disappointed, but the horse is not a machine,” Golden Tempo’s trainer, Cherie DeVaux, told Pakinomist Digital earlier this week.
Only three horses from two weeks ago – Ocelli, Robusta and Incredibolt – were back in the Preakness. Corona de Oro, the 11th horse on Saturday, was scratched well ahead of the Derby, and Great White, who rose and fell on his back after being spooked shortly before entering the Derby gate, took the 13th post on Saturday.
A general view as helmets rest on the gate ahead of the Sir Barton Stakes at Laurel Park. (Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls/Imagn Images)
CHERIE DEVAUX REFLECTS ON MAKING KENTUCKY DERBY HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE TRAINER TO WIN THE RACE
The Preakness went out about 24 hours after a horse died following the completion of its very first race.
Hit Zero, trained by Brittany Russell, entered the race as the favorite. However, he finished last in the race, which was won by another of Russell’s horses, Bold Fact – and as he crossed the finish line, Hit Zero reportedly started coughing, fell to his knees, then laid his head down and died.
The Preakness took place at Laurel Park as Pimlico undergoes renovations. It was the first time ever that Pimlico did not host the race, moving about 20 miles south.
Horses parade in front of the paddock before an undercard race ahead of the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, 2026 in Laurel, Maryland. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The Belmont Stakes, the final Triple Crown race, takes place on June 6. The race returns to Saratoga for the third year in a row as Belmont Park continues to be renovated.
