Napoleon Solo crossed the finish line first at Laurel Park on Saturday, ending a rough start to 2026 with his first win of the year. The 7-1 shot held off a late charge from Iron Honor to take the 151st Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. It marked the first Triple Crown win for trainer Chad Summers and jockey Paco Lopez, who rode the colt to a dominant stretch run. The victory came after Napoleon Solo finished fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial this spring, struggling to regain the form that made him a top prospect last fall. His last big win was a 6 1/2-length romp in the Champagne Stakes last October, but he couldn’t carry that momentum into this year’s Triple Crown prep races. Iron Honor, the morning line favorite at 9-2, faded late after Taj Mahal set a blistering early pace. The favorite at post time at 8-1, Iron Honor chased Napoleon Solo down the stretch but fell just short, finishing second by 1 1/4 lengths. Taj Mahal, who went off at 9-2—the longest odds for a Preakness favorite since the race shortened to 1 3/16 miles in 1925—led for most of the first half before dropping back to finish sixth. The Preakness moved to Laurel Park this year while Pimlico Race Course undergoes major renovations. Attendance was capped at 4,800, a far cry from the rowdy, music-filled infield crowds of past years. ## The field opened up without Golden Tempo Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo didn’t run, leaving the field wide open for longshots and mid-tier contenders. His absence meant no prohibitive favorite, with Taj Mahal emerging as the betting choice at 9-2 despite never facing Golden Tempo in a race. Napoleon Solo, meanwhile, showed flashes of his old brilliance, surging past the fading favorite in the final furlong. Iron Honor proved the biggest threat, stalking the leaders before making his move in the stretch, but couldn’t reel in the winner. The Preakness has been a tricky race for Derby winners—only 10 of the last 40 Derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness, and just three have swept the first two legs. ## What this means for the Triple Crown Golden Tempo’s absence left the door ajar for other contenders, but the race reinforced how unpredictable Triple Crown series can be. Napoleon Solo’s win keeps the door open for a three-year-old who might not have been on anyone’s radar after a shaky spring. Iron Honor’s strong finish suggests he’ll be a factor in future prep races, while Taj Mahal’s early pace may force trainers to rethink strategy for horses who like to come from behind. The next stop is the Belmont Stakes in June, where the field will likely include Napoleon Solo, Iron Honor, and possibly a fresh face who skipped the Preakness. For now, though, the focus stays on the winner—Napoleon Solo, who finally delivered after a frustrating start to the year.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: NPR
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 00:52 UTC
  • Category: World
  • Topics: #npr · #usa · #world-news · #napoleon-solo · #iron-honor · #preakness

Read the Full Story

This is a curated summary. For the complete article, original data, quotes and full analysis:

Read the full story on NPR →

All reporting rights belong to the respective author(s) at NPR. GlobalBR News summarizes publicly available content to help readers discover the most relevant global news.

Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O cavalo Napoleon Solo cruzou a linha de chegada no Laurel Park com uma arrancada decisiva e cravou seu nome na história do turfe ao vencer o Preakness Stakes de 2026, derrotando o favorito Iron Honor por um comprimento e quarto. A vitória, a primeira do animal nesta temporada, reacendeu as discussões sobre as chances brasileiras na disputa pela Tríplice Coroa, colocando em xeque a preparação dos criadores nacionais frente aos investimentos internacionais.

A prova, que integra o calendário da Tríplice Coroa norte-americana, ganhou contornos ainda mais simbólicos para o Brasil depois que a campanha de Napoleon Solo foi marcada por ajustes técnicos e apostas de apostadores brasileiros que viram no animal um potencial subestimado. Especialistas do setor equino nacional avaliam que resultados como este reforçam a necessidade de alavancar patrocínios e infraestrutura no País, ainda distante dos padrões de treinamento e premiações das grandes pistas internacionais. Para os fãs do turfe em português, a vitória também serve como lembrete de que as grandes competições estão cada vez mais globais, exigindo que o Brasil acelere seus investimentos para não ficar para trás.

Enquanto o foco agora se volta para a próxima etapa da Tríplice Coroa, a pergunta que fica é: até quando o Brasil, com tradição e talento, ficará à margem dos grandes prêmios internacionais?

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

El jinete español Napoleon Solo logró su primera victoria del año en el Preakness Stakes al imponerse al favorito Iron Honor por un largo y medio en Laurel Park, reavivando las esperanzas de la afición hispana en la Triple Corona.

La carrera, celebrada en medio de la temporada de la Triple Corona, no solo consolidó a Napoleon Solo como un serio candidato al título, sino que también destacó la creciente presencia de jinetes hispanos en el competitivo mundo de las carreras de caballos. Para los lectores en español, este triunfo simboliza un avance en la visibilidad y el reconocimiento de los profesionales de habla hispana en un deporte tradicionalmente dominado por figuras anglosajonas, abriendo nuevas expectativas para el futuro de este deporte en el mundo hispanohablante.