Preakness Stakes 2026: Picks and predictions from the experts

Nypost · May 16, 2026 · 534 words · By Vic Cangialosi; Matt Ehalt; Michael Leboff

Horse Racing Handicapping Sports Betting

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Post experts handicap Saturday’s 151st running of the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park.

Claims checked 17

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

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Center0%

Right100%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Post experts handicap Saturday’s 151st running of the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park.

Why it matters

Vic Cangialosi, New York Post racing handicapper 1.

Common ground

Taj Mahal: Is it too late for trainer Cherie DeVaux to change her mind?

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Horse Racing Handicapping story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Won the Federico Tesio by open lengths, leading at every call?
How does this story connect Horse Racing Handicapping with Sports Betting over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/16/betting/preakness-stakes-2026-picks-and-prediction…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 7

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 2

report Misleading 1

verified Verified 1

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Claim 1: “Won the Federico Tesio by open lengths, leading at every call.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While Wikipedia confirms the Federico Tesio Stakes is held at Laurel Park, the specific detail about Taj Mahal winning 'by open lengths, leading at every call' is not explicitly corroborated by the provided evidence snippets, though his victory in the race is mentioned in other claims.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Federico Tesio Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the dirt for three-year-old horses. Run during the l…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Tesio_Stakes

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a listing of the horses that finished in either first, second, or third place and the number of starters in The Federico Tesio Stakes, an American stakes race for three-year-olds at 1-1/8 mile…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Tesio_Stakes_top_thre…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — It is regarded as one of the best examples of Mughal architecture and a symbol of Indian history. The Taj Mahal is a major tourist attraction and attracts more than five million visitors a year. In 20…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

+ 2 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 2: “A seventh-place finish in the Wood Memorial”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 3: “he gets a huge upgrade with Irad Ortiz Jr. on board for the Preakness.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 4: “Post time is approximately 7:01 p.m.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources, including CBS Sports and Wikipedia, state the post time for the Preakness Stakes is 7:01 p.m. ET.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Preakness Stakes was the 150th Preakness Stakes, a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles (9+1⁄2 furlongs; 1,911 metres). The race is the second of…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Preakness_Stakes

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Preakness Stakes will be the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes, a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles (9+1⁄2 furlongs; 1,911 meters). It is …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Preakness_Stakes

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park du…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preakness_Stakes

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Jaime Torres rode Seize The Grey to victory in the 2024 Preakness.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and NBC New York, confirm Jaime Torres rode Seize The Grey to victory in the 2024 Preakness.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Seize the Grey (foaled April 20, 2021) is a multiple Grade I American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2024 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the American Triple Crown.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seize_the_Grey

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Seize the Grey jockey Torres thanks family for sacrifices. Two years after entering jockey school, winning Preakness jockey Jaime Torres thanked his family for their support.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/live-blog/preakness-2024…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — For Seize the Grey's jockey Jaime Torres, it was his first Triple Crown win. For Torres, who only went to jockey school in Puerto Rico in 2022, it was an emotional. "I'm very excited, very excited," T…
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/triple-crown/seize-th…

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Claim 6: “He didn’t have the extra stamina needed to win the Kentucky Derby, finishing sixth”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “Brittany Russell trains. Her husband, Sheldon, rides.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources (WTOP News, The Banner, and FTBOA) confirm Brittany Russell is the trainer and her husband Sheldon Russell is the jockey for Taj Mahal.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — This is Brittany Russell’s first Preakness horse in her eighth year of training. It’s her husband’s fourth chance to ride in the middle leg of the Triple Crown after finishing fifth aboard Chase the C…
https://wtop.com/other-sports/2026/05/brittany-russell-with-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jockey Sheldon Russell, riding Mizner, is greeted by the team, including Russell’s wife and Mizner’s trainer, Brittany Russell, and their son. (KT Kanazawich for The Banner).
https://www.thebanner.com/sports/horse-racing/preakness-laur…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Florida-bred Thoroughbred Taj Mahal, ridden by Sheldon Russell, stretches out to the wire at Laurel Park, fighting off Let’s Go Lando who applies pressure from the outside. Taj Mahal and Russell held …
https://www.ftboa.com/florida-bred-taj-mahal-wires-field

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Claim 8: “Saturday’s 151st running of the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Flipboard, Nbcwashington, and Wikipedia) confirm that the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes is held at Laurel Park due to renovations at Pimlico.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is 1+1⁄8 miles in circumference. Its name was cha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_Park_(race_track)

+ 2 more evidence sources

info

Claim 9: “Has Derby winner Jose Ortiz”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim only contains general information about the name 'Jose' and does not mention Jose Ortiz riding Chip Honcho or his status as a Derby winner in the context of this specific race.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish [xoˈse]; Portuguese [ʒ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Feb 10, 2025 · In Spanish-speaking countries and Italy, the name Jose is often associated with Saint Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ and Mary’s husband in the Christian tradition.
https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/jose/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Dec 14, 2025 · Learn about the name Jose including the meaning, gender, origin, popularity, and more.
https://momlovesbest.com/jose-name-meaning

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Claim 10: “Was a last-minute entry into the Preakness”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 11: “Three starts. Three wins. All at Laurel.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources (Top World News Today, The Racing Biz, and another source mentioning Iron Honor) confirm Taj Mahal has three wins in three starts, all at Laurel.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The California Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the governor of California, located in Sacramento, the capital of California. Built in 1877, the estate was purchased by the State of Cal…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor's_Mansion_State_Histo…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Zantzinger, Borie and Medary was an American architecture firm that operated from 1905 to 1950 in Philadelphia. It specialized in institutional and civic projects. For most of its existence, the partn…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zantzinger,_Borie_&_Medary

+ 3 more evidence sources

report

Claim 12: “The Virginia Derby winner stormed down the lane at Churchill Downs but finished four lengths back of the faster-closing Golden Tempo.”

MISLEADING

Evidence confirms Incredibolt won the Virginia Derby by four lengths. However, the claim states he finished four lengths back of Golden Tempo at Churchill Downs; the evidence actually says he 'won the Street Sense at Churchill Downs' and that Golden Tempo was a separate horse likely to record a top-four finish in the Derby, not necessarily that Incredibolt finished four lengths behind him in a specific race.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Incredibolt shot clear in midstretch to win the Virginia Derby by four lengths March 14 at Colonial Downs and earn 50 qualifying points to the May 2 Kentucky Derby. (Eclipse Sportswire).
https://www.americasbestracing.net/the-sport/2026-2026-kentu…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Incredibolt wins the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.Deep-closing Louisiana Derby alumni frequently outrun their odds in the Kentucky Derby, and a fast pace courtesy of Six Speed and Pavlovian could …
https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/study-guide-2026-k…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Incredibolt won the Street Sense at Churchill Downs. Photo by John Gallagher. Color / Sex: Dark Bay or Brown Colt.#12 Incredibolt (5-1) – Exploded through the lane to win the Virginia Derby and stuck …
https://www.theracingbiz.com/2026/05/12/preakness-stakes-202…

verified

Claim 13: “His last victory was a head-turning romp in a stakes race April 18.”

VERIFIED

Nypost specifically confirms that Taj Mahal had a dominant performance in the Federico Tesio Stakes on April 18.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — all three of his wins have come over the Laurel Park surface, including a dominant performance in the Federico Tesio Stakes on April 18
https://nypost.com/2026/05/16/betting/2026-preakness-stakes-…

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Claim 14: “Taj Mahal has won all three races he’s ever entered, and all of them have come at Laurel Park.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Nypost, Top World News Today, and The Racing Biz) confirm Taj Mahal is 3-for-3 with all wins at Laurel Park.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Taj Mahal on top, three contenders in second and third, five or six longshots in fourth. Dollar superfectas in a field this size can return four and five figures when the chalk runs out of gas.Taj Mah…
https://www.topworldnewstoday.com/brittany-russell-and-taj-m…

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web search NEUTRAL — Russell’s husband, six-time Laurel leading rider Sheldon Russell, has been aboard Taj Mahal each of his three starts, all wins at Laurel, and will ride again in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.
https://www.theracingbiz.com/2026/05/09/taj-mahal-sharp-in-f…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Florida-bred Thoroughbred Taj Mahal gallops through the slop on the inside rail, guided by jockey Sheldon Russell. On the outside, competitor Let’s Go Lando attempts to catch them, but Taj Mahal and R…
https://www.ftboa.com/unbeaten-taj-mahal-meets-familiar-foes…

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 15: “Enters as the favorite, and trainer Chad Brown makes this horse an intriguing favorite to back.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 16: “trainer Chad Summers telling BloodHorse that “everything has gone wrong as a 3-year-old.””

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 17: “trainer Riley Mott liked how he ran”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.