Preakness Stakes 2026: Meet the jockeys and trainers

At Laurel Park, fourteen jockeys and fourteen trainers are partnering to race a full field of fourteen horses in Saturday’s $2 million Preakness (G1).

Much has been written about the horses participating in the historic 151st running of the Triple Crown’s second leg. Now let’s meet their jockeys and trainers:

2026 Preakness Jockeys

Skim through the equine pilots aboard the Preakness Stakes contenders.

Sheldon Russell (Taj Mahal)

The unbeaten #1 Taj Mahal (5-1) ran his foes off of their respective feet in a Federico Tesio S. tour-de-force and is 3-for-3 on the course for trainer Brittany Russell. By Nyquist, the $525,000 yearling purchase has improved his Brisnet Speed rating with each career run to date, and he will bring considerable pace from the rail, as well. If the colt can avoid an early duel, then he has to be given a winning chance with regular pilot Sheldon Russell on board.

Russell has ridden over 1,800 winners since 2007. He's won nine graded stakes and has ridden three times in the Preakness, with his best finish being a fifth aboard Chase the Chaos in 2023.

Tyler Gaffalione (Ocelli)

#2 Ocelli (6-1) is still a maiden, but his excellent third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) showed how talented he is. Trained by Whit Beckman, the Connect colt is proven at the trip and also landed in a field where the pace will be swift and potentially contested, which will aid his closing burst. He has improved since having the blinkers removed two back and has to be on a lot of tickets with Tyler Gaffalione in the silks once again.

Gaffalione, winner of the 2015 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, has ridden the winners of over $200 million in purse money. In 2019, he won the Preakness aboard War of Will.

Junior Alvarado (Crupper)

Junior Alvarado will partner with #3 Crupper (30-1) for his third ride in the Preakness, following Zetterholm (fourth in 2012) and Skippylongstocking (fifth in 2022). Alvarado is seeking his personal Triple Crown, having previously won the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Belmont (G1) aboard Sovereignty.

Rafael Bejarano (Robusta)

#4 Robusta (30-1) didn’t show expected early speed in the Kentucky Derby and never made an impact, finishing 14th. His best performances have come when racing in the clear on or very close to the lead, and the dark bay colt figures to be pushing it on the two-week turnaround.

Robusta will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano, whose mounts have won over 4,600 races and nearly $250 million in purse money. This is his first ride in the Preakness since 2009, when he guided Papa Clem to a sixth-place finish. 

Irad Ortiz, Jr. (Talkin)

#5 Talkin (20-1) has raced close to the pace without success in a pair of stakes attempts this year; look for him to make one run Saturday.

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is slated to ride Talkin. Ortiz is seeking his first Preakness win after finishing second twice aboard Midnight Bourbon (2021) and Blazing Sevens (2023).

Jose Ortiz (Chip Honcho)

#6 Chip Honcho (5-1) registered a commendable 97 Speed rating, finishing a half-length second to early Kentucky Derby favorite and now-sidelined Paladin in February’s Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds.

Chip Honcho is the mount of Jose Ortiz, who won the Kentucky Derby aboard Golden Tempo two weeks ago. Ortiz has already found success in the second leg of the Triple Crown, scoring aboard Early Voting in 2022.

Luis Saez (The Hell We Did)

#7 The Hell We Did (15-1) pushed the pace in the Lexington but employed up-close stalking tactics, recording his lone two wins.

Jockey Luis Saez hopes The Hell We Did will give him a first triumph in the Preakness following close runner-up finishes aboard Bravazo (2018) and Gosger (2025). 

Micah Husbands (Bull by the Horns)

#8 Bull by the Horns (30-1) closed from last-to-first, recording his first stakes victory last out, the Rushaway S. at Turfway Park.

Bull by the Horns will aim to repeat the feat under Micah Husbands, an up-and-coming rider who has won four graded stakes this year, including the Apple Blossom H. (G1). This is his first ride in the Preakness.

Flavien Prat (Iron Honor)

James Scully tabbed #9 Iron Honor (9-2) as the Preakness (G1) winner following his maiden win, and while his recent effort in the Wood Memorial (G2) left much to be desired, I have to stick to my guns with the son of Nyquist. Trained by Chad Brown, the $475,000 Keeneland purchase was game in both of his two wins to kick off his career when going one turn, and the colt was close to rapid fractions before failing to fire late in the Wood. The blinkers have come off following that subpar showing, and I’m expecting a big move forward on Saturday with Flavien Prat picking up the mount.

Prat has earned the last two Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey. He's won over 350 graded stakes and guided Rombauer to an upset victory in the 2021 Preakness.

Joel Rosario (Napoleon Solo)

The 2025 Champagne (G1) hero #10 Napoleon Solo (8-1) will be making the third run of his sophomore season and will peak at Laurel. The Chad Summers pupil has substantial early speed, and I love his outer post draw, with much of the additional pace in the field drawn to his inside. The Liam’s Map colt has reportedly been working well in advance of his local bow, and I envision him forcing the action and leading turning for home with Paco Lopez on board. 

Lopez has ridden only once before in the Preakness, finishing fifth aboard Max Player in 2020. But he's won over 4,400 races and secured the 2008 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.

John Velazquez (Corona de Oro)

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride Lexington third-place finisher #11 Corona de Oro (30-1). Velazquez's mounts have won over 6,800 races and more than $521 million. In 2023, he won the Preakness aboard National Treasure.

Jaime Torres (Incredibolt)

Jaime Torres will guide #12 Incredibolt (5-1) in search of a second Preakness win, having scored aboard Seize the Grey in 2024.

Alex Achard (Great White)

#13 Great White (15-1) dueled for the early lead in the Blue Grass (G1), and after missing the Kentucky Derby due to flipping at the gate, the massive gray gelding may be keyed up early in the Preakness.

Great White represents the first Preakness mount for Alex Achard, an up-and-coming rider whose three graded wins include a score aboard In Love in the 2021 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1).

Ricardo Santana Jr. (Pretty Boy Miah)

#14 Pretty Boy Miah (15-1) has done his best running in the last two starts, establishing blistering fractions winning at 6 1/2 furlongs two back, and promises to be forward in his first two-turn start.

Pretty Boy Miah will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., who finished third in the 2018 Preakness aboard Tenfold. Santana has ridden the winners of over 2,100 races.

2026 Preakness Trainers

Who trains the Preakness Stakes horses?

Brittany Russell (Taj Mahal)

Brittany Russell trains the Florida-bred son of Nyquist, and Taj Mahal jumped straight from a convincing six-furlong debut maiden win in early February to the one-mile Miracle Wood S. two weeks later, prevailing by a head after a courageous stretch duel. His overall Brisnet numbers have progressed favorably, registering big Early and Late Pace ratings rolling to an 8 1/4-length decision in the Federico Tesio. And while the last two wins have been gate-to-wire, Taj Mahal rated just off the early pace when breaking his maiden win. However, the rail draw limits jockey Sheldon Russell’s options, and Taj Mahal figures to be prominent from the break.

Russell seeks to become the first female trainer to win the Preakness. She's won seven graded stakes since 2021, including the Carter H. (G1) with Doppelganger.

Whit Beckman (Ocelli)

Still winless from seven starts, Ocelli appears to be discovering his best form presently for Whit Beckman, offering an eye-catching rally off the far turn in the Kentucky Derby, eventually striking the front in deep stretch before being denied by Golden Tempo and Renegade in the final strides. And the late runner projects to receive another favorable setup in the Preakness, given the number of early speed types entered.

Beckman won his first graded stakes in 2023 with future Kentucky Derby starter Honor Marie. Ocelli represents his first Preakness runner.

Donnie Von Hemel (Crupper)

Crupper earned a free Preakness berth, recording a frontrunning victory in a “Win & You’re In” race at Oaklawn. He doesn’t appear quick enough to challenge for the early lead but may try to establish positioning close to the front.

Crupper hails from the barn of Donnie Von Hemel, who has won 40 graded stakes since 1989, including the 2011 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Caleb's Posse. Crupper is his first Preakness starter.

Doug O'Neill (Robusta)

Doug O'Neill won the 2012 Preakness with champion I'll Have Another. He returns to the race for the first time since 2022 with Robusta.

Danny Gargan (Talkin)

Blue Grass (G1) third-place finisher Talkin is trained by Danny Gargan. Gargan has won nearly 500 races, including 14 graded stakes. He's already enjoyed success in a spring classic, saddling Dornoch to win the 2024 Belmont.

Steve Asmussen (Chip Honcho)

Chip Honcho set the pace before grudgingly giving way to finish a close second in the Risen Star two back. He faltered at 2-1 when switching to rating tactics in the Louisiana Derby (G2), with his three best career efforts coming when racing on or very close to the lead.

Chip Honcho seeks to give Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen a third Preakness win following Curlin (2007) and Rachel Alexandra (2009). Asmussen has won more races than any other North American trainer in history: over 11,000 and counting.

Todd Fincher (The Hell We Did)

The Hell We Did is the first Preakness started trainer by Todd Fincher, who has saddled the winners of over 1,600 races. In 2024, Fincher's Senor Buscador won the richest horse race in the world, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).

Saffie Joseph, Jr. (Bull by the Horns)

Bull by the Horns is the third Preakness starter conditioned by Saffie Joseph Jr., who has won 76 graded stakes since 2019, including this year's Pegasus World Cup (G1) with White Abarrio.

Chad Brown (Iron Honor)

Iron Honor removes blinkers, and despite racing prominently in his first two wins, the colt appears likely to switch to stalking tactics following a troubled seventh in the Wood Memorial (G2).

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has won the Preakness twice with Cloud Computing (2017) and Early Voting (2022). Both exited defeats in the Wood Memorial.

Chad Summers (Napoleon Solo)

Napoleon Solo figures to be applying serious pressure from the outside, registering enormous Early Pace numbers leading all the way in the Champagne (G1) last fall. He’s been training forwardly for Chad Summers.

Napoleon Solo is the first Preakness starter trained by Summers, who has saddled the winners of over 100 races, including four graded stakes.

Dallas Stewart (Corona de Oro)

Corona de Oro set the pace before weakening to third in the Lexington (G3); his form improved when he began to show high speed from the starting gate two starts back.

Trainer Dallas Stewart has yet to win the Preakness, but he's come close on a couple of occasions, saddling runners-up Macho Again (2008) and Tale of Verve (2015).

Riley Mott (Incredibolt)

A surprise addition to the Preakness, Incredibolt exited his sixth in the Kentucky Derby in good order and won’t face the same level of competition in the second leg of the Triple Crown. The stalker didn’t fire his best effort when opening 2026 in the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park but appreciated the class relief in March’s Virginia Derby, rolling to a four-length victory and netting a 100 Speed rating. Incredibolt will be one of only two runners in the Preakness field to earn a triple-digit Speed rating, and the dark bay colt looks poised to offer a serious challenge for up-and-coming trainer Riley Mott.

Mott, a son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, has won over 100 races since 2022, including last year's Saratoga Derby (G1) and Summer (G1).

John Ennis (Great White)

Great White is the first Preakness starter trained by John Ennis, who has saddled the winners of over $10 million in purse money. He earned his first graded stakes win in 2025 with Epic Ride in the Mint Millions (G3).

Jeremiah Englehart (Pretty Boy Miah)

Jeremiah Englehart has trained the winners of over 1,900 races, including Ria Antonia, the surprise winner of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Pretty Boy Miah is his first starter in the Preakness.