Laurel Park ushers in a new era for the Preakness Stakes, and Taj Mahal hopes to capitalize on home-track advantage

Por primera vez desde 1908 la segunda gema de la Triple Corona en los Estados Unidos no se correrá en Pimlico sino en Laurel Park, escenario donde el invicto buscará hacer valer una ventaja inédita frente a un lote cargado de velocidad y cerradores peligrosos

The 2026 Preakness Stakes (G1-1900m, dirt) is already historic before the gates even open.

For the first time since 1908, the second jewel of the American Triple Crown will not be contested at Pimlico Race Course, but instead at Laurel Park, a change forced by the extensive renovations underway at Baltimore’s historic oval and one that, unexpectedly, could provide a unique advantage to one of the race’s major contenders.

Because while the vast majority of the field will be discovering the track under race conditions, Taj Mahal arrives at the big challenge as a genuine home horse.

The son of Nyquist is unbeaten in three starts over the Laurel oval and will attempt to become the first winner of the Federico Tesio Stakes (L) to capture the Preakness since Deputed Testamony (Traffic Cop) in 1983.

Trained by Brittany Russell, who is also seeking to become the first woman ever to win the race, the colt not only knows every inch of the racetrack but also enters the event without having altered his daily routine in the slightest.

“I think being here, not having to travel, and knowing the surface perfectly can work very much in our favor,” Russell explained. “He loves this track, and all of that becomes a positive.”

The emotional storyline adds another compelling layer, as the mount will go to Sheldon Russell, the trainer’s husband, who emphasized the importance of previous experience over a layout significantly different from Pimlico.

“It’s hard to run really fast over this track because the turns are wider, and naturally that makes the times slower,” the jockey said. “If Taj Mahal had run those same races somewhere else, his figures probably would’ve been much faster. I think having prior experience here is a huge advantage.”

The tactical picture of the Preakness promises to be absolutely intense.

Taj Mahal will not be alone among the early speed, as runners such as Crupper (Candy Ride), Chip Honcho (Connect), Iron Honor (Nyquist), Napoleon Solo (Liam’s Map), Corona de Oro (Bolt d’Oro), and Pretty Boy Miah (Beau Liam) also tend to show pace from the outset.

That abundance of speed could ultimately favor the major closers exiting the Kentucky Derby (G1), especially Ocelli (Connect) and Incredibolt (Bolt d’Oro), both of whom turned in tremendous efforts at Churchill Downs just two weeks ago.

Ocelli, still a maiden but a remarkable third in the Derby, finished only a length behind the winner after unleashing a devastating rally from the back of the pack.

His trainer, Whit Beckman, believes the team has finally discovered the ideal running style for the colt.

“His best races come when he has targets in front of him and can make one late run,” Beckman explained. “In the Derby, Tyler Gaffalione understood perfectly how he needed to be ridden.”

As for Incredibolt, Riley Mott stated that the son of Bolt d’Oro emerged from the Derby in outstanding shape and that the projected fast pace could be exactly what he needs.

“On paper, it looks like there’ll be a really strong tempo, and that should help us,” the trainer noted. “The horse is doing fantastic physically and has a ton of energy.”

Another particularly intriguing name is Iron Honor, installed as the morning-line favorite by Chad Brown despite a disappointing effort in the Wood Memorial (G2).

The son of Nyquist will race without blinkers for the first time in an effort to help him relax more effectively during the running, and he will also have the services of two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat.

Brown believes the main issue in New York was that the colt became far too aggressive after taking early contact and ended up wasting valuable energy.

Breaking from post 14 will be Pretty Boy Miah, who rises sharply in class after winning a starter optional claiming race at Aqueduct, though his speed figures have already begun attracting attention.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart believes the son of the underrated Beau Liam possesses far more versatility than most realize.

“He can run on the lead or come from behind,” Englehart said. “He’s an intelligent horse, and I think he can adapt to any kind of race shape.”

With Laurel Park temporarily replacing Pimlico, the 2026 Preakness will carry a completely different flavor—more open, more tactical, and perhaps more unpredictable than ever before.

But if there is one horse truly capable of taking advantage of this new setting, it may very well be Taj Mahal.

In a Triple Crown where nearly everyone arrives as a visitor, the hometown horse will try to defend home turf.