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Tonight, thousands of horse racing fans will gather at Laurel Park Race Track to see which competitor will win the second leg of the 2026 Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. This year’s field features only three competitors from this year’s Kentucky Derby, and none of them are race winner Golden Tempo.

So, who will win the 2026 “Run for the Black-Eyed Susan”? Our goal is to help your betting decisions with our rankings of the 14 competitors in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes and some good win, place and show options.

14.Robusta (30-1)

Doug O’Neill-trained colt Robusta is one of only three horses competing in the Kentucky Derby, which will also take to the track at Laurel Park on Saturday. However, he is one of the biggest long shots in this year’s race due to his recent form.

Before running in the Derby, Robusta finished seventh at Santa Anita ahead of the competition he faced in Kentucky. He then finished 14th among 19 horses at Churchill Downs. It would be surprising for Robusta to reach the top three.

13. Bull by the Horns (30-1)

The colt Bull By The Horns, owned by Peachtree Stable and Mark Corrado, has had an up-and-down career in his first five races. While he placed first at Florida in his second race in November, he came seventh in the Fourth of Youth in February and finished well behind many Derby horses.

Although he won the 2026 Rushway in March, he has struggled on fast dirt tracks, as he will this weekend.

12. Crupper (30-1)

After a sixth-place finish to start his career, the Robert Zoellner-trained colt Crupper is on the rise. He has won two of his last three races, including a win at Bathhouse Raw last month. However, the three-year-old is entering the Preakness Stakes as a major underdog due to the weak competition he has met so far.

11. Gold Crown (30-1)

Three-year-old Corona de Oro has been a solid but unspectacular horse in his first five races. In March, the Dallas Stewart-trained colt earned his first career win. However, last month, he finished behind fellow Preakness competitor The Hell We Did at the 2026 Lexington.

Since The Hell We Did is a sleeper pick on Saturday, De Oro is a possible choice for a show bet in the race.

10. Talkin’ (20-1)

After winning on his debut in August last year, the Danny Gargan-trained colt Talkin has fallen short since then. Which also includes finishing ninth at the 2025 Remsen in December. He got a chance to face Derby and Stakes level competition in his last two starts and peaked with a third-place finish in the Blue Grass last month. That’s why Talkin’ is a big underdog on Saturday.

9. Great White (15-1)

The John Ennis-trained colt Great White has been all over the map in his first four races. The three-year-old won his debut match in December and the John Battaglia Memorial in February. However, White finished fifth in his other two races, including the Blue Grass in April.

This unpredictability is the main reason why he remained a weak player on Saturday. Furthermore, despite being an impressive specimen, losing his composure minutes before entering the post at Kentucky adds to that unpredictable reputation. White has the size and talent, but seems too risky.

8. Napoleon Solo (8-1)

After starting his career with consecutive wins including the October 2025 Champagne, Gold Square horse Napoleon Solo has not looked good since. In February, he faced tough competition at the Fountain of Youth and finished fifth. Then last month, he went head-to-head again in the Preakness and Derby-level contests and again came in fifth.

Solo gave bookmakers no reason to think he could be an option for a spot or a show, let alone a long-shot option to win.

7.Oceli (6-1)

Ouseley, a horse trained by D. Whitworth Beckman, received a chance at the 2026 Kentucky Derby after several horses, including Right to Party, were eliminated from the race. Although Ouseley had six championships on his resume, he had no wins to his name.

Nevertheless, to the surprise of many the colt finished third at Kentucky. After that, Occelli’s showing can’t be doubted and should be considered a rock-solid show choice again this weekend.

6. Pretty Boy Mia (15-1)

Jeremiah Englehart-trained horse Pretty Boy Mia is an intriguing underdog for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. Although he finished fourth at Aqueduct in February, he has been strong in his other three races this year. Which also includes consecutive wins in their last two.

The big question is whether his success is based on his athletic talent or the competition he has faced so far in his career.

5. Incredibolt (5-1)

The colt Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, has had a checkered career. That’s why he was last in the betting odds for the Kentucky Derby after finishing sixth in the G3 Face off in January. However, he turned heads by winning the Virginia Derby in March, leading some to wonder if he might perform better than expected in the Derby.

He did not do so and finished sixth. However, oddsmakers still rate the colt highly, and he is viewed as one of the favorites in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes.

4. Chip Honcho (5-1)

At the end of 2025, the Steve Asmussen-trained colt Chip Honcho was looking like a potential contender for this year’s Triple Crown. However, in 2026, he surprisingly struggled in three of his races. While there he finished second in the 2026 Risen Star in February, came fourth in the Lecomte in January, and came fifth in the high-level competition in the Louisiana Derby in March.

However, being trained by a two-time Preakness winner is a major reason why Honcho is a secret choice to win in the Preakness. Also making him a strong position pick.

3. The Hell We Did (15-1)

Todd Fincher-trained colt The Hell We Did is an interesting option to consider for riskier punters. Although he has had intermittent difficulties leading the way in races, he has looked very good in his first four races, with two second-place finishes and two first-place finishes. He is a legitimate choice to secure a surprise win on Saturday, and should be considered for all Place and Show bets.

2. Iron Honor (9-2)

Elite trainer Chad Brown has a horse in Saturday’s race, and he is the current favorite Iron Honor. Honor looked very good in his first two races as he took consecutive first-place finishes to start his career. However, at the Wood Memorial in April, he surprisingly finished seventh. But many people believe that they are given tough competition in the beginning itself and are thrown out of the game.

Honor is the safest bet to win, place or perform in the 2026 Preakness Stakes.

1. Taj Mahal (5-1)

Brittany Russell-trained colt Taj Mahal enters the 2026 Preakness Stakes as the top selection for good reason. While the three-year-old only has three races on his resume, he has still performed excellently. 2026 Federico Tesio won all three, including.

Palace is a strong spot or show bet on a Saturday night, especially under the guidance of one of the game’s top coaches. However, we’re going a little further and picking him to win the stakes.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The 2025-26 season has been a great one for the San Antonio Spurs, as they have risen to the top of the NBA totem pole and become one of the best teams in the association. And it’s not just that Spurs are the Victor Wembanyama show; They have such a young and deep team that it can hit on all cylinders even if Vembanyama withdraws, and their 54-18 record on the season is the furthest thing from a fluke situation as it could be.

But make no mistake, Spurs’ title hopes will hinge on Wembanyama and how far he can take this team, as franchise greats Tim Duncan and David Robinson did before him.

And prominent media member Bill Simmons, who has been a renowned student of the game for decades, believes Wembanyama is already keeping pace with some of the all-time greats compared to a similar point in his career.

“There’s only been three years two guys have won titles that were first-team All-NBA, which was ’99 (Tim) Duncan, ’81 (Larry) Bird, and ’71 Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). I’m only mentioning it because I think he’s in that league,” Simmons said of Wambanyama on the latest episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast.

“And it feels weird to have all these names from the first 80 years in the league and be like holy man, these are the best names we have but I think that’s what we’re seeing.”

Only time will tell whether Vembanyama will be able to overcome this problem like those players did early in his career. After all, standing in his way is the Oklahoma City Thunder. But if there is anyone who has shown enough individual excellence to deserve consideration, it is the Spurs star.

The good thing is that the Spurs had a poor performance in the first two seasons of Wembanyama’s career, giving them an opportunity to fill the roster with quality players. This makes him one of the best contenders in the association, and could make Simmons look like a visionary once again.

Who is the best player in baseball at each position? We’ve officially finished our MLB positional rankings series ahead of the 2026 season, working from catcher to closer and looking at the 10 best players at each position. Now it’s time to make a list of the best players at each position in MLB.

Let’s take a look at our list of the best MLB players by position just ahead of Opening Day 2026. Note, as we conclude our position-by-position series, you can find an attached link below each position with a top 10 list at that position.

Catcher: Cal Raley, Seattle Mariners

If Cal Raleigh couldn’t win MVP last season after having the best season ever by a catcher in MLB history, it’s hard to imagine a time when a backstop would take home the honor. The Seattle Mariners catcher led the way in home runs (60) with the fourth-best OPS (.948) and third-most RBI (125), and he was second in fWAR (9.1). For good measure, he was also a top five pitch framer. Despite the potential for some downside, Raley has a chance to win both a Gold Glove Award and a Silver Slugger Award at catcher in 2026.

RELATED: Best MLB Catchers 2026

First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is coming off a season where he had a .397 batting average and 1.289 OPS with 29 hits, 15 RBIs and 8 home runs for a team that was one step away from winning the World Series. While his offensive production during the regular season has been a bit sporadic in recent years, he still boasts the highest OPS (.903) and wRC+ (154) among first basemen over the past two seasons, and he tied for fourth-most defensive runs saved at first (eight) last year. He is a superstar who has proven that he can carry a team in the postseason.

: : RELATED: Best MLB First Basemen 2026

Second base: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

At a time when second base is thinner and weaker than in years past, Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star hitter Ketel Marte is setting the standard for the position. After winning the NLCS MVP in 2023, he has earned an All-MLB First Team selection and a Silver Slugger Award in each of the last two seasons at second base. That’s thanks to a spot-leading 147 wRC+, .911 OPS, 143 RBIs and 54 home runs along with the second-best batting average (.287) and third-highest walk rate (11.7 percent) over that two-year span.

RELATED: Best MLB Second Basemen 2026

Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals

It didn’t take long for Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to prove he was one of the best MLB players. He showed glimpses of it in his first two seasons, but MVP-caliber play occurred the last two years. As of 2024–25, Witt has won a Gold Glove Award and a Silver Slugger Award at shortstop both seasons, and it came with All-Star nods and an All-MLB First Team selection. Among all shortstops over the past two years, Witt ranks first in batting average (.312), wRC+ (150) and OPS (.915), with the third-most home runs (55) and second-most runs (220) and stolen bases (68).

RELATED: Best MLB Shortstops 2026

Third base: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians

Jose Ramirez is the gold standard at third base right now. The Cleveland Guardians star has won six Silver Slugger awards, made the All-Star Game seven times, and has been named to the All-MLB First Team at third base each of the past two seasons. Even as a 32-year-old in 2025, he hit 30 home runs with 103 runs batted in and set career highs in stolen bases (44), along with his highest batting average (.283) over the past five years. Among his teammates at the hot corner over the past two seasons, Ramírez ranks first in runs (184), batting average (.292), wRC+ (147), fWAR (12.4), steals (70) and OPS (.903), and he is second in RBI (174) and home runs (62).

RELATED: Best MLB Third Basemen 2026

Left field: Juan Soto, New York Mets

The New York Mets are moving Juan Soto to left field for the 2026 season. While this won’t do much to erase the fact that he isn’t good defensively, it does make him a top player in left field now. Still only 27, Soto’s 2019 resume includes a World Series title, an NL batting crown, a Silver Slugger Award in six consecutive seasons and four selections to the All-MLB First Team. He consistently performed like an MVP, posting a 1.005 OPS with 34 home runs and a .282 batting average from June to September, and he is one of four players in all of baseball with over 200 RBIs and over 200 runs scored over the past two years combined.

RELATED: Best left fielders in MLB 2026

Center Field: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners

What’s particularly noteworthy about Julio Rodriguez is that he has boasted a career .800 OPS in his first four seasons despite starting slow almost every year. For whatever reason, the Mariners center fielder starts out cold and then gets hot in the summer. Establishing a .900 OPS with a .290 batting average, 45 RBI, 18 home runs and 13 steals allowed him to earn All-MLB First Team honors in 2025 for the first time in his career. He’s also excellent defensively in center field, and if we ever get a year where he performs well at the plate from April to September, he could make a serious bid for AL MVP.

RELATED: Best MLB Center Fielders 2026

Right field: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Watching New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge play baseball is a treat. He has had better four-year performances than Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mickey Mantle during their best four-year peaks. That’s why Judge has earned three AL MVP awards since the 2022 campaign, including last season when he led the Majors in batting average. Judge is the only player in baseball with more than 250 RBI and more than 250 runs scored over the last two seasons – a stretch where he also leads the game in batting average (.326), walk rate (18.6 percent), home runs (111) and OPS (1.152).

RELATED: Best MLB Right Fielders 2026

Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani is likely going to become just the second player in MLB history to win NL MVP in four consecutive seasons. In related news, doing so would put him in special company with Barry Bonds as the only two players in baseball history to win MVP five times. Ohtani has made the All-MLB First Team in six consecutive seasons, and he ranks second in OPS (1.025), wRC+ (176) and home runs (109) over the past two years, along with the third-most RBIs (232) and fourth-most steals (79).

RELATED: Best Designated Hitter 2026

Starting pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

No player has won the AL Cy Young Award in three consecutive seasons. Detroit Tigers star Tarik Skubal is so good he could make history in 2026. Over the past two seasons, the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner has the second-lowest ERA (2.30), highest fWAR (12.6), second-best strikeout rate (31.2 percent) and K-BB rate (26.7 percent), third-lowest batting average (.199) and lowest WHIP. (0.91) among starters who have played more than 300 innings. There’s a reason he broke the arbitration record ($32 million), and why he’ll eventually become the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history.

RELATED: Best MLB Pitchers 2026

Closer: Mason Miller, San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres gave up one of the top prospects in baseball to acquire closer Mason Miller at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. In half a season with the club, he posted a 0.77 ERA and a 54.2 percent strikeout rate in 23.1 innings while allowing a .096 batting average. Over the past two seasons, Miller has boasted a .148 batting average (first in MLB), with the third-lowest WHIP (0.89) and the highest strikeout rate (43.1 percent) among relievers. To put Miller’s 32.9 percent K-BB rate into perspective, that’s the same number as the 13th-highest strikeout rate in MLB over the past two seasons.

RELATED: Best MLB Closers 2026

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson