2026 Preakness Stakes Picks: Best Exotic Bets
It is time for the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. I’m talking about the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes. Golden Tempo, this year's Kentucky Derby winner, is not running. So there will not be a Triple Crown winner this year. But that doesn't make the race any less exciting. Now, if you need something extra to make the race more thrilling, consider placing an exotic bet or two on it. Keep reading, and I'll go over three types of exotic bets and give my recommendation for each as part of my 2026 Preakness Stakes picks.
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2026: Preakness Stakes Picks: Exotic Bets
Exacta Box
Exotic bets are a lot like parlays in that you are combining bets on different horses into one wager. With an exacta, you are betting on one horse to finish first and another to finish second. Now, if you feel strongly about multiple horses and find yourself struggling to pick and order, you can "box" your exacta.
That means you are picking two horses to finish in first and second, in any order. It will cost you a little more, but I like the flexibility it allows. I don't need to pick the order of the first two finishers, just the first two horses to cross the line. Here's my exacta box for the Preakness Stakes this weekend:
- Taj Mahal/Iron Honor
Taj Mahal has run three races at Laurel Park, winning all three. The Preakness Stakes is being run at Laurel Park this year due to construction at Pimlico Race Course. Taj Mahal is a horse that knows this track well and has done nothing but win there. The competition will be tougher than he's ever faced, but with so many factors working in his favor, he's a solid bet to finish in the top two.
Iron Honor is a popular pick amongst the experts. Still, I'm including him because trainer Chad Brown is a two-time Preakness Stakes winner. Jockey Flavien Prat has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Iron Honor is a highly regarded horse with a team that knows how to win big races.
Trifecta Box
I'm sticking with boxing my exotics because I like the idea of picking the best horses rather than the exact finishing order. Since we are talking about a Trifecta box this time, we'll be picking the top three horses to finish the race:
- The Hell We Did/Talkin/Chip Honcho
In The Hell We Did, we have a horse with speed that is smart enough to sit just behind the speedsters and just ahead of the closers. Thus putting himself in a perfect position to beat the best of both with a strong finish.
I'm taking a chance on Talkin, but from what I've read about him, he's trending in the right direction. Chip Honcho has two wins and two second-place finishes to his name and is being ridden by the Kentucky Derby-winning jockey.
Superfecta Box
If you're feeling really lucky, give a superfecta box a shot and try to pick the top four finishers. I'm going with the following:
- Ocelli/Incredibolt/Napoleon Solo/The Hell We Did
With three wins in six career races, I had to include Incredibolt at some point. Ocelli seemed like he was going to get that elusive first win at the Kentucky Derby, until he faded down the stretch. It was still an impressive run and enough for me to think he'll be in the mix again.
Napoleon Solo could make a run if he gets off to a good start. As for The Hell We Did, I love a good stalker that can sit in the pack and then turn it on late to go for the win.
2026 Preakness Stakes Field
| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 1 | Taj Mahal | Brittany Russell | Sheldon Russell | 5-1 |
| 2 | Ocelli | Whit Beckman | Tyler Gaffalione | 6/1 |
| 3 | Crupper | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Junior Alvarado | 30/1 |
| 4 | Robusta | Doug O’Neill | Rafael Bejarano | 30-1 |
| 5 | Talkin | Danny Gargan | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 20-1 |
| 6 | Chip Honcho | Steve Asmussen | Jose L. Ortiz | 5-1 |
| 7 | The Hell We Did | Todd Fincher | Luis Saez | 15-1 |
| 8 | Bull by the Horns | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Micah Husbands | 30-1 |
| 9 | Iron Honor | Chad Brown | Flavien Prat | 9-2 |
| 10 | Napoleon Solo | Chad Summers | Paco Lopez | 8/1 |
| 11 | Corona de Oro | Dallas Stewart | John R. Velazquez | 30-1 |
| 12 | Incredibolt | Riley Mott | Jaime Torres | 5-1 |
| 13 | Great White | John Ennis | Alex Achard | 15/1 |
| 14 | Pretty Boy Miah | Jeremiah C. Englehart | Ricardo Santana Jr | 15-1 |