The 151st running of the Triple Crown’s second leg takes place this weekend, but what is the Preakness Stakes purse in 2026 and how much will the winning horse receive?
Preakness Stakes Purse Is $2million For Third Year In A Row
For a third year in a row, the Preakness Stakes purse is $2million. That prize money is split between only the top-five finishers with the winner earning $1.2million.
- 1st – $1.2million
- 2nd – $400,000
- 3rd – $220,000
- 4th – $120,000
- 5th – $60,000
So if we get 20 runners in the Preakness, then 3/4 of the field will go home without earning a SINGLE penny.
Winning Jockey Receives 10% Of Preakness Stakes Prize Money
It’s not just the owners that win the prize money from the Preakness Stakes, although they do get 80%.
But the trainer and jockey also receive 10% each.
So the winning jockey will take home a staggering $120,000 if they are able to steer their mount to glory…And that’s without regular riding fees and contract payments.
However, it’s still not as valuable as the Kentucky Derby purse, with the winning jockey of the famous Churchill Downs race taking home around $310,000.
Prize Money/Purse For Preakness Stakes Was Just $1000 In First Running
The Preakness Stakes was first run in 1873 and it was worth just $1000 all those years ago. And it wasn’t until 1919 when the purse received a major increase to $25,000.
It finally hit $1million in 1997, before jumping to $1.5million in 2014.
And 2024 was the first year that the Preakness Stakes purse made it to the $2million mark, with Seize the Grey the first horse to win the top prize of £1.2million.
If you didn’t know, the prestigious contest has now been moved to Laurel Park for the 2026 renewal with renovations taking place at Pimlico – where it has previously been held.
Preakness Stakes 2026 Race Information
📅 Date: Saturday, 16 May 2026
⌚ Time: 7:01pm ET
🏇 Racecourse: Laurel Park
🔄 Trip: 1m 1 1/2f
💷 Purse: $2m
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing / NBC / Peacock
Who Won Last 2025 Preakness Stakes?
Last year’s Preakness Stakes was won by JOURNALISM, who improved from his Kentucky Derby second, going one better to win the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Michael McCarthy’s charge had nothing go his way in the home straight, but when Journalism eventually found the gaps, he produced a valiant effort to win.
WATCH: Journalism Wins 2025 Preakness Stakes
Last 10 Preakness Stakes Winners
- 2025 – Journalism (Michael McCarthy)
- 2024 – Seize the Grey (D Wayne Lukas)
- 2023 – National Treasure (Bob Baffert)
- 2022 – Early Voting (Chad Brown)
- 2021 – Rombauer (Michael McCarthy)
- 2020 – Swiss Skydiver (Kenneth McPeek)
- 2019 – War of Will (Mark Casse)
- 2018 – Justify (Bob Baffert)
- 2017 – Cloud Computing (Chad Brown)
- 2016 – Exaggerator (J Keith Desormeaux)
Preakness Stakes Odds 2026
Find the 2026 Preakness Stakes betting odds below ahead of Saturday’s race.
- Crude Velocity 7/4 (Bob Baffert)
- Silent Tactic 5/1 (Mark Casse)
- Taj Mahal 5/1 (Brittany Russell)
- Ocelli 8/1 (Whit Beckman)
- Chip Honcho 8/1 (Steve Asmussen)
- Cherokee Nation 10/1 (Bob Baffert)
- Iron Honor 12/1 (Chad Brown)
- Napoleon Solo 16/1 (Chad Summers)
- Corona De Oro 16/1 (Dallas Stewart)
- Robusta 20/1 (Doug O’Neill)
- Great White 20/1 (John Ennis)
- The Hell We Did 20/1 (Todd W Fincher)
- Express Kid 20/1 (Justin R Evans)
- Talkin 25/1 (Danny Gargan)
- Ottinho 25/1 (Chad Brown)
- Pretty Boy Miah 25/1 (Jeremiah C Englehart)
- Bull By The Horns 25/1 (Saffie A Joseph Jr)
- Crupper 50/1 (Donnie K Von Hemel)
