Napoleon Solo Upsets Favourite in Relocated Preakness Stakes
Chad Summers and Paco Lopez secure first major victory as 7-1 outsider Napoleon Solo defeats race favourite Taj Mahal at Laurel Park.
Napoleon Solo claimed victory in the 151st Preakness Stakes on May 16, 2026, at Laurel Park in Maryland, defeating the race favourite Taj Mahal in a field of 14 entrants. Ridden by jockey Paco Lopez and trained by Chad Summers, the 7-1 outsider secured the second leg of the American Triple Crown, marking the first Preakness win for both the trainer and the rider.
The event was held at Laurel Park for the first and only time due to complete renovations at the traditional venue, Pimlico Race Course. The structural shift altered the race dynamics, with the Laurel Park oval being slightly shorter than Pimlico’s. The distance from the gate to the first turn was approximately 700 feet, a change that impacted the tactical approach of front-runners in the field.
Taj Mahal, the local favourite and the only unbeaten horse in the field, entered with three prior wins at Laurel Park. However, the horse faded significantly in the stretch, finishing tenth. Taj Mahal ran the first quarter mile in 22.66 seconds and the half-mile in 46.66 seconds, but the blistering pace left the horse with little stamina for the final stages.
Napoleon Solo, starting from post position 10, cruised past the fading favourite at the top of the stretch. The roan colt fended off a late challenge from Iron Honor, who finished second, and Chip Honcho, who placed third. Ocelli, a Derby show horse, finished fourth, while the $1 trifecta paid $597.10.
The victory netted Napoleon Solo a share of the $1.2 million prize purse. The winner paid $17.80 on a $2 bet, with Iron Honor paying $9.20 in place and Chip Honcho paying $8.20 in show. The result effectively ended any Triple Crown aspirations for the 2026 season, as Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo had declined to participate in the Preakness.
