Napoleon Solo, guided by jockey Paco Lopez, emerged victorious in the 151st Preakness Stakes on Saturday, holding off a late challenge from Iron Honor to secure his first win of the year. The race, held at Laurel Park in Maryland due to renovations at Pimlico in Baltimore, featured a wide-open field of 14 horses after Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was withdrawn.
Race Recap
Taj Mahal, the 9-2 favourite, broke quickly and led through the first quarter-mile in 22.66 seconds. However, the colt trained by Brittany Russell could not sustain the pace and was overtaken by Napoleon Solo near the top of the stretch. Iron Honor, who had been the morning-line favourite at 9-2 but drifted to 8-1 at post time, mounted a strong bid but fell 1 1/4 lengths short. Chip Honcho finished third at 11-1 odds.
Trainer and Jockey Milestone
The victory marked the first Triple Crown race win for both trainer Chad Summers and jockey Paco Lopez. Napoleon Solo paid $17.80 for a $2 bet. Summers expressed relief after a challenging season: "All year long, fifth place, fifth place. Everyone said he wasn't as good as he was in the Champagne. This was a win here. People will say it wasn't against the best of the best. We'll find out the rest of the year."
Background
Napoleon Solo had shown promise as a two-year-old, winning his first two starts, including the Champagne Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in October. However, he struggled in 2025, finishing fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial. Iron Honor also competed in the Wood Memorial, setting up a rematch in the Preakness with higher stakes.
Triple Crown Context
With Golden Tempo absent, the Preakness lacked a Triple Crown threat. Three horses contested both the Derby and Preakness: Ocelli (7-1), Incredibolt (5-1), and Robusta (25-1), finishing fourth, fifth, and ninth, respectively. The Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, is scheduled for 6 June at Saratoga, New York.
