The calendar is already into mid-May, and the racing world has gathered in Maryland for the second leg of the Triple Crown, the 151st running of the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes.
Notable absences from this year’s Preakness Stakes include the Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, Derby runner-up Renegade … and Pimlico Race Course.
The Preakness will be run 40 miles south at Laurel Park while the Baltimore track undergoes large-scale renovations. The middle leg of the Triple Crown is scheduled to return to Pimlico for the 2027 running.
Fifteen stakes races will be run at Laurel, highlighted by the 1 ⅛-mile Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan for 3-year-old fillies on Friday and the aforementioned Preakness.
Friday
6:14 pm – G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Laurel Park
Can a Louisiana-bred win the 1 ⅛-mile Black-Eyed Susan, again? Braken Poppa will try to make it back-to-back Louisiana-bred winners in Maryland after Margie’s Intention captured the race last year.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Braken Poppa is four-for-five lifetime and won two state-restricted stakes at Fair Grounds by a combined 15 lengths. Jose Ortiz has the return mount on the 7-2 co-second choice from post 5.
G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and G2 Davona Dale runner-up My Miss Mo qualified for the Kentucky Oaks, but opted instead to come to Maryland for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The daughter of Uncle Mo is the 7-2 co-second choice and will again have Tyler Gaffalione in the irons.
The top four finishers from the local prep, the 1 1/16-mile Weber City Miss, are entered in the Black-Eyed Susan. Jumping the Gun was tabbed the 3-1 morning line favorite for Friday’s feature after a third-place effort in the Weber City Miss, five lengths behind winner Ivy Girl.
Black-Eyed Susan entries
Saturday
7:01 pm – G1 Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park
Will Ocelli, the seven-start maiden, win the Preakness? Or will Taj Mahal make Brittany Russell the first female trainer to win the Preakness, completing a historic Triple Crown for women? Was being scratched at the gate of the Kentucky Derby a blessing in disguise for Great White?
These are just some of the story lines going into Preakness 151, which will be run at Laurel Park for the very first time.
Chad Brown-trained Iron Honor was made the morning-line 9-2 favorite. Much like Brown’s two previous winners of this race, he comes to Maryland off a loss in his third start after winning his first two appearances.
Taj Mahal, Chip Honcho, and Incredibolt share second-choice duties at 5-1, with Kentucky Derby-third Ocelli the 6-1 fifth choice in the full field of 14.
Preakness entries
9:39 pm – G3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs
After winning last year’s G1 Blue Grass and finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby, Burnham Square has found a new home on the grass. The Ian Wilkes trainee was a dominant 9 ¾-length winner of the G2 Elkhorn Stakes going 1 ½ miles at Keeneland a month ago.
The 4-year-old gelded son of Liam’s Map is the 2-5 morning line favorite and will have Brian Hernandez Jr. in the irons.
Louisville entries
This story was originally published by Paulick Report on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
