2026 Preakness Stakes picks, odds: Horse racing writer has best bets for Triple Crown race

One horse will go down as a Triple Crown race winner when the starting gate opens in the 2026 Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Laurel Park in Maryland. Though the second leg of the Triple Crown does not feature Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, whose connections decided to bypass the race, the Preakness will have an evenly matched 14-horse field without a clear favorite. Five horses are listed between 9-2 and 6-1 on the morning line: Iron Honor (9-2), Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1), Incredibolt (5-1) and Ocelli (6-1). Post time for the $2 million race is 7:01 p.m. ET.

With several talented runners set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you NEED to see what SportsLine horse racing expert Gene Menez has to say before making any 2026 Preakness Stakes picks or horse racing predictions considering his track record.

A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI's handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.

In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. In 2024, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. In last year's Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout! Anyone who has followed him could be WAY UP!

Now, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Preakness Stakes field and revealed his picks. We can tell you that Menez is fading Iron Honor, even though he is the 9-2 favorite. Instead, Menez is high on The Hell We Did, even though he is a longshot at 15-1. "He also should sit the perfect trip behind the speed horses and in front of the late-running closers who are returning in two weeks," Menez told SportsLine. Menez is using The Hell We Did prominently in his wagers.  

Moreover, Menez's top pick is a longshot who is "brilliantly fast." He also is high on a big double-digit longshot who is "finally fit." Menez is including these horses in his 2026 Preakness Stakes bets, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY NEED to see which horses they are before making any 2026 Preakness Stakes picks of your own.

So which horse wins the 2026 Preakness Stakes? What big double-digit longshot is a MUST-BACK? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Preakness Stakes picks and bets, all from the expert with a long history of nailing his horse racing picks!