Hallandale Beach, May 18, 2026 – Ridden like the best horse throughout the 1-3/16s miles of the Triple Crown’s second jewel, Napoleon Solo proved an underappreciated dominant performer in Preakness 151 on Saturday in Laurel, Maryland.
And the 3-year-old divisional leader is?
TBD
With several members of the division recuperating from injuries, and with the brighter lights of the Kentucky Derby skipping the Preakness, choosing instead to return in five weeks for the Belmont Stakes, continue a prevailing trend.
There is much chatter predicting that the Maryland Jockey Club will move the Preakness by one week, creating three weeks spacing between the first two legs, yet Brad Cox and Chad Brown opine that it is not likely to be enough.
We agree.
The issue of spacing was discussed on the Preakness telecast, analysts Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey indicated that the New York Racing Association is unwilling at this time to move the date of the Belmont back.
You know that such respected reporters would not go on air to reveal something this significant without first speaking with NYRA officials.
Yet, via a news statement, a NYRA spokesman said they’d be willing to talk with the other Triple Crown tracks to ensure the future success of the series in the best interests of the sport. Huh?
Why weren’t Moss and Bailey apprised of this instead of the “unwilling” message? The Triple Crown saga will continue,
Meanwhile, let’s start our own prediction market and play horseman simultaneously.
Without knowing the data that will come from the June 6 Belmont, Chad Summers has indicated that the July 18 Haskell will be the Preakness winner’s next start and will emerge the division’s leader unless Golden Tempo or Renegade win the Champion’s Test.
An aside: There is six weeks spacing between the Haskell and Travers, giving Travers horses a “fresh” edge on the race-over-Saratoga Jim Dandy. rivals. Traditionally, the $1M G1 Haskell was always run in late July or early August. The G2 Jim Dandy Stakes, in addition to being closer, will offer half the purse money.
This class that was considered to be outstanding earlier this year but have regressed due to injuries, the vagaries of point-system scheduling but, of greatest significance, the disparity of race results.
Whichever horse emerges, he will need to step up. put two prestigious wins back-to-back or be the first horse to win three Grade 1s this season.
Getting back to the Preakness winner, we wrote last year and again earlier this year that Napoleon Solo was best horse we saw race at two repeated that assessment at three, and then the early season hiccups began, badly confusing the issue for me.
Unlike myself, Chad Summers figured it all out very well. The colt was able to comfortably stalk lively fractions, make the first forward move into the lane, surged forward again nearing midstretch, separating himself, and won with some energy remaining.
It will be interesting to see how he handles top quality early speed before making the turn move used in last year’s Champagne and once again on Saturday.
6 Responses
John, I am a traditionalist who appreciates the difficulty in winning g the triple crown. With that being said the game has changed almost dramatically over the years as horses were bred for speed.
The stamina factor has been diminished thus the lack of horses running in all three events.
If an agreement is reached that has benefits to the horse people and mostly the horses I would settle for the increased periods of time between races.
HOWEVER, there will always be that asterisk on the resume of any future triple crown winners with the new structure.
In time Jack, maybe the original TC horses will have an asterisk, LOL.
When I wrote about this four years ago, I implied that a longer series could make it tougher as more trainers would consider all three instead of skipping one–after all only the Derby winner can WIN the TC.
Of greater consequence, with added participation AND all horses competing fresher, horses are more likely to produce their ‘A’ race.
But you’re right, a longer schedule will benefit the horses most
John you make a very strong point with the greater participation in a longer series.
That’s why I get the medium-sized bucks …
Ha ha. I see Paco Lopez is u see scrutiny once again for his high whipping in the Preakness. I do t have much of a comment until all the facts are available
That’s wise. I feel the same.
On one hand PETA is calling for an investigated t on the other, the Jockers Guild just named him Jockey of the Week.
What a world ….
Meanwhile,