Preakness Stakes Takes Place at Laurel Park Amidst Horse Safety Concerns
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The horse did, and then some, en route to earning the Woodlawn Vase trophy. In a wide-open, 14-horse field after Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo and runner-up Renegade both sat out, pre-race favorite Taj Mahal ran in front entering the final straightaway but Napoleon Solo, with Lopez aboard, stayed close and then burst ahead to take the lead as the park’s main grandstand came into view. Iron Honor, another pre-race betting favorite, tried to challenge Napoleon Solo down the homestretch but couldn’t come within a length of the winner.
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Washington TimesWith Golden Tempo absent, a 14-horse field will contest the $2 million race, led by Iron Honor (9-2) as the morning-line favorite. Taj Mahal (5-1) and Chip Honcho (5-1) are co-favorites alongside Iron Honor, with Incredibolt (5-1) and Ocelli (6-1) also among the frontrunners. Napoleon Solo enters at 8-1.
The Guardian USTaj Mahal broke to the lead early and covered the first quarter-mile in 22.66 seconds, but trainer Brittany Russell’s unbeaten colt couldn’t hold on and was passed by Napoleon Solo (7-1) near the top of the stretch. Iron Honor was a threat late but came up 1 1/4 lengths short.
NPR NewsTaj Mahal broke to the lead early and covered the first quarter-mile in 22.66 seconds, but trainer Brittany Russell's unbeaten colt couldn't hold on and was passed by Napoleon Solo (7-1) near the top of the stretch. Iron Honor was a threat late but came up 1 1/4 lengths short.
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The second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown has arrived. The 151st running of the Preakness Stakes takes place Saturday from Laurel Park, a one-year change from its usual home of Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course while Pimlico undergoes renovations.
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USA TodayNot anymore. On May 9, 2026, the streak of Preakness Stakes being held at Pimlico will end after 116 years. The facility is being rebuilt and this year's race will take place at Laurel Park, another Maryland track. To add to the oddities, the Belmont will once again be run at Saratoga as the Long Island track continues to be rebuilt.
Washington TimesThe race is running at a new venue. The Preakness is being held at Laurel Park for the first time in the race’s history while its traditional home, Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, undergoes a complete reconstruction. The race is expected to return to Pimlico in 2027.
The Guardian USKentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was held out of the race, leaving a wide-open field of 14 horses to contest the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which was held at Laurel Park in Maryland this year because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
NPR NewsKentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was held out of the race, leaving a wide-open field of 14 horses to contest the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which was held at Laurel Park this year because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
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The colt won his first two starts last year by impressive margins, prevailing in the Champagne Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in October. He couldn't maintain that form, however, finishing fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial this year.
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The Guardian USThe colt won his first two starts last year by impressive margins, prevailing in the Champagne Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in October. He couldn’t maintain that form, however, finishing fifth in both the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial this year.
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“Officials said a necropsy will be conducted to confirm the cause of death.” The death toll of racehorses at tracks around the country has gained national headlines in recent years. On Maryland tracks alone, 426 horses have died from 2014 to 2026. The Preakness Stakes is set to take place on Saturday.
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Washington TimesA racehorse suffered a fatal cardiac event Friday at Laurel Park on Black-Eyed Susan Day, casting a somber note over the opening of Preakness Stakes weekend.
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Hit Zero, a horse trained by Brittany Russell and owned by ItsTheJHo, LLC, and Evan Trommer, died of a cardiac event after the day’s opening race.
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Washington TimesHit Zero, a first-time starter trained by Brittany Russell, finished last in Race 1 before collapsing after the field crossed the finish line. The horse was unsaddled and had begun walking back to the barn when he went down. Another of Ms. Russell’s horses, Bold Fact, won the race.
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Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer for 1/ST Racing, described the sequence of events to WBAL-TV. “After pulling up and finishing the race, the horse was unsaddled, began walking back to the barn and collapsed and ended up suffering catastrophic sudden death,” she said. Dr. Benson noted that sudden cardiac deaths are particularly difficult to investigate because some causes — such as electrical abnormalities in the heart — leave no trace detectable after death.
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Breitbart“After pulling up and finishing the race, the horse was unsaddled, began walking back to the barn, and collapsed and ended up suffering catastrophic sudden death,” said Chief Veterinary Officer for 1/ST Racing Dr. Dionne Benson.
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The Triple Crown is the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. For years, the trifecta of races has been synonymous with Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course, and Belmont Park.
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There have been horses who went on to win the Triple Crown that have won at Laurel Park. Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat, and Affirmed all won the Laurel Futurity, a stake for 2-year-olds, the year before they went on to make racing history.
3 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 NBC News Napoleon Solo had won the first two races of its career in 2025, but this year had competed twice and finished fifth place both times.
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02 The Guardian US The Belmont Stakes, the final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, is 6 June in Saratoga, New York.
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03 Washington Times The 151st Preakness Stakes will run Saturday without the one horse capable of chasing history.
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- npr
- nbc
- washtimes
- guardian
- breitbart
- usatoday