Longshot Bull by the Horns Enters 151st Preakness Stakes Amid Weather Disruption
The three-year-old colt, drawn in post position No. 8, holds the lowest career-best Beyer Speed Figure in the field at 70, though recent form suggests incremental improvement.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has confirmed the entry of the three-year-old colt Bull by the Horns into the 151st Preakness Stakes, scheduled for Saturday, 16 May 2026. The decision follows a strategic pivot from the Peter Pan Stakes after adverse weather conditions disrupted two scheduled workouts. Joseph, who maintains a 17 per cent win rate in stakes races and a 24 per cent overall strike rate, acknowledged that the colt requires significant improvement to compete at this level.
Bull by the Horns has been drawn in post position No. 8 within the 15-horse field. His entry is characterised by a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 70, the lowest in the Preakness field. For context, the next slowest competitor, Crupper, holds a career-best figure of 80. Despite this deficit, the colt has demonstrated incremental speed gains across his five career starts, with figures rising from 63 to 64, 68, 69, and finally 70.
The colt’s recent form includes a victory in the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park, achieved on a synthetic surface. This stands in contrast to his record on dirt, where he is 1-for-4, with his sole dirt victory occurring in a maiden special race at Gulfstream Park. His most recent attempt at graded stakes company resulted in a seventh-place finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, where he finished seventh of nine and lost by nearly 20 lengths.
Joseph’s decision to enter the colt in the Triple Crown race was not part of the original plan. The trainer had initially targeted the Peter Pan Stakes but altered course following the weather-related cancellation of workouts. The post draw is considered favourable for a late-running closer, as speed horses have secured both the rail and the far outside positions, potentially setting a fast pace that suits Bull by the Horns’ running style.
As a deep closer, Bull by the Horns is expected to drop to the back of the pack and attempt a late charge. While the colt is widely viewed as a longshot due to his speed figures and past performance gaps, the tactical setup provided by the post draw offers a specific pathway for competition. The race will serve as a critical test of whether the colt’s incremental improvements are sufficient to challenge the field’s established leaders.
