Napoleon Solo, ridden 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 ongoing renovations at Pimlico in Baltimore, featured a wide-open field of 14 horses after Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was withheld from competition.
Race Recap
Taj Mahal, the 9-2 favorite, broke to the lead early and covered the first quarter-mile in 22.66 seconds. However, the unbeaten colt trained by Brittany Russell could not maintain his advantage and was overtaken by Napoleon Solo (7-1) near the top of the stretch. Iron Honor mounted a strong rally late but fell 1 1/4 lengths short. Chip Honcho (11-1) finished third.
Napoleon Solo paid $17.80 on a $2 bet, marking the first Triple Crown race victory for trainer Chad Summers and jockey Paco Lopez. The colt had shown promise earlier in his career, winning the Champagne Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in October, but had struggled in his two prior starts this year, finishing fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and the Wood Memorial.
Trainer's Perspective
Summers reflected on the victory, stating, "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." Iron Honor, who also competed in the Wood Memorial, finished behind Napoleon Solo once again.
Other Contenders
The three horses that raced in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness—Ocelli (7-1), Incredibolt (5-1), and Robusta (25-1)—finished fourth, fifth, and ninth, respectively. The final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, is scheduled for June 6 in Saratoga, New York.
Churchill Downs recently struck an $85 million deal for the Preakness intellectual property rights, further solidifying the race's commercial significance.
