SouthernWorldwide.com – Napoleon Solo has emerged victorious in the 151st Preakness Stakes, held on Saturday.
The race saw Taj Mahal, the favorite and the number 1 horse, lead from the outset. However, in the final turn, Napoleon Solo made a decisive move on the outside, seizing the lead at the top of the stretch.
As Taj Mahal began to fade, Iron Honor, the 9 horse, made a late surge but ultimately could not overtake Napoleon Solo.
Napoleon Solo, who opened with odds of 8-1, closed at 7-1. Iron Honor secured second place at 8-1, while Chip Honcho finished third after closing at 11-1.
Ocelli, one of only three horses to have competed in both the Kentucky Derby two weeks prior and the Preakness, finished in fourth place with odds of 8-1.
The betting payouts reflected the competitive nature of the race. A $1 exacta returned $53.60, and a $1 trifecta paid out $597.10.
A particularly fortunate bettor won $12,015.70 on a $1 superhighfive, correctly predicting the top five finishers in order.
Furthermore, a 20-cent Pick 6, which requires selecting the winners of six consecutive races including the Preakness, yielded a substantial $33,842.34.
This marks the second consecutive year the Preakness Stakes has been run without the Kentucky Derby winner. Following Sovereignty’s decision to skip the Preakness last year and subsequently win the Belmont Stakes, the training team of Golden Tempo chose to bypass the Maryland race this year.
Historically, between 1960 and 2018, only three Kentucky Derby winners opted out of the Preakness. However, in the last five years, three Derby winners have skipped the event.
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For the sixth time in eight years, the possibility of achieving the Triple Crown had already been extinguished before the Preakness Stakes, due to various circumstances.
Only three horses from the Kentucky Derby—Ocelli, Robusta, and Incredibolt—participated in the Preakness.
Corona de Oro, the 11 horse, was a late scratch well before the Derby. Great White, who had a startling incident before the Derby gate, was assigned the 13 post for the Preakness.
The Preakness Stakes occurred approximately 24 hours after a horse tragically died following its debut race.
Hit Zero, trained by Brittany Russell, had been the favorite leading into the race. However, he finished last. Another horse trained by Russell, Bold Fact, won the race. Reports indicate that Hit Zero began coughing, fell to his knees, and then passed away shortly after crossing the finish line.
This year’s Preakness was held at Laurel Park due to ongoing renovations at Pimlico Race Course.
It was the first time in history that Pimlico did not host the Preakness Stakes, with the event relocated approximately 20 miles south.
The Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, is scheduled for June 6.
The Belmont Stakes will return to Saratoga for the third consecutive year, as Belmont Park continues its renovation process.
