Preakness Stakes 2026: Fifteen, including Golden Tempo, being considered
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If Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo shows up in Laurel, Md., for the Preakness on May 16, it looks like there will be a large number of horses – virtually none of whom participated in the Kentucky Derby – willing to take him on in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
As of Monday, there were 15 horses – including Golden Tempo – under consideration for the Preakness, which this year is being held at Laurel Park due to ongoing construction at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The Preakness is limited to 14 starters, but two also-eligibles can be carded.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux, who had a daylong media tour Monday that started with an in-studio appearance on the “Today” show, reiterated that a decision on Golden Tempo’s Preakness status likely won’t be made until the end of week, after he goes back to the track. Golden Tempo was vanned Sunday morning from Churchill to Keeneland.
Only Potente, who finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby, has been mentioned as a horse from the 18-horse Derby field who may possibly come back for the Preakness. Potente is trained by Bob Baffert as is Crude Velocity, who could vie for favoritism in the Preakness should Baffert elect to send him.
Baffert said Crude Velocity, who beat the DeVaux-trained Englishman by 3 3/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile is “fifty-fifty” for the Preakness, a race Baffert has won a record eight times. Baffert said he would like to stretch Crude Velocity out in distance at some point, he’s just not sure he wants to do it in the Preakness. Crude Velocity, a son of Beau Liam, is 3 for 3 but only debuted March 7.
Baffert does plan to run Cherokee Nation in the Preakness. Cherokee Nation won a one-mile maiden race by 10 lengths Feb. 27, his sixth career start. He then broke bad and finished a well-beaten sixth in the Santa Anita Derby.
Cherokee Nation worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds last Friday at Churchill Downs.
Chip Honcho, who won the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds in December, went on to run in the three graded Kentucky Derby preps at that meet – finishing second to Paladin but 5 1/2 lengths clear of Golden Tempo in the Grade 2 Risen Star. In his next start, Chip Honcho ran fifth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, a race in which Golden Tempo finished third.
“He’s kept good company, hasn’t he,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.
Chip Honcho is at Churchill, where on Saturday he will have a final workout before shipping to Laurel on Sunday.
Napoleon Solo, winner of the Grade 1 Champagne last year but winless in two starts around two turns this year, has been lighting up the Belmont Park training track in the morning. On Sunday, he worked six furlongs in 1:10, a time rarely seen over that surface.
Iron Honor, who won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes in his second start before finishing seventh with trouble in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, will be trainer Chad Brown’s representative in the Preakness. Brown has won the Preakness twice with horses exiting the Wood Memorial and having six weeks between races. Flavien Prat has been confirmed to ride Iron Honor, who will race with blinkers off for the first time.
Taj Mahal is undefeated in three starts – all at Laurel – including an 8 1/4-length victory in the Federico Tesio Stakes on April 18. Taj Mahal is trained by Brittany Russell and has been ridden in all three of his starts by her husband, Sheldon.
Taj Mahal’s victory in the Tesio earned him a fees-paid berth into the Preakness. Crupper, trained by Donnie Von Hemel, also earned a fees-paid berth into the Preakness by virtue of his win in the Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Crupper, a son of Candy Ride, has won 2 of 3 starts since blinkers were added to his equipment.
Great White, who flipped behind the starting gate and was scratched from the Kentucky Derby just prior to the start, is “perfect” trainer John Ennis said Monday morning. Ennis added that he plans to work Great White this weekend, and if all goes well he plans to run in the Preakness.
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Silent Tactic, who on Thursday was scratched from the Kentucky Derby due to a bruised foot, will have a workout this week to see if he’s able to run in the Preakness, trainer Mark Casse told Laurel publicity. Silent Tactic won the Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn in February.
Express Kid, who has not run since a nose defeat in the Sunland Derby on Feb. 15, has been working at Lone Star Park with the idea of running the Preakness, trainer Justin Evans said Monday.
The Hell We Did, second in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes, has shipped from Kentucky to Laurel already and on Saturday had a five-furlong workout in 1:00.60 over the track. He will likely work again there this weekend.
Talkin, a well-beaten third in the Grade 1 Blue Grass, and Pretty Boy Miah, winner of a starter allowance at Aqueduct in April, also are pointing to the Preakness. If the race should overfill, Pretty Boy Miah would likely be left on the also-eligible list as he lacks graded stakes earnings and his lifetime earnings are $95,800, the lowest of any of the potential Preakness possible runners.
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