The Eddie Olczyk Preakness Stakes picks for 2026 have been revealed, with the former NHL player and now respected NBC handicapper lifting the lid on his “must-use” tips for Saturday’s 151st renewal of the ‘Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown‘.
Olczyk names his main Preakness selection, along with three plays to use underneath ahead of the big Laurel Park race this weekend.
And with two of the three Eddie Olczyk Kentucky Derby picks finishing FIRST and SECOND at Churchill Downs, he’ll be heading into the Preakness in RED-HOT form.
You can see his full, in-depth thoughts on the 2026 Preakness Stakes runners below.
PLUS join BETONLINE where you can wager the Olczyk predictions and claim up to $250 in FREE BETS.
Eddie Olczyk Preakness Stakes Picks and Predictions 2026:“I’ Liked The Way He Never Gave Up”
After talking to the Follow The Money Podcast on Thursday – with hosts Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard – Eddie Olczyk revealed his 2026 Preakness Stakes picks.
In addition, he also lists the three horses he’ll be using underneath his main play.
With Eddie Olczyk saying “I’m Gunna Go With The Number 10 – NAPOLEON SOLO.”
Olczyk went onto say about his main Preakness Stakes prediction.
“The last race he ran on April 4 was at Aqueduct in the Wood Memorial (5th), I didn’t think he was on the best part of the track. Meaning on the inside, you didn’t want to be near the rail and didn’t want to be on the lead.”
“But he never gave up though, that was the one thing that I was really impressive to me. He was 5th that day – he got beat 2 lengths, but the other thing about that race in New York was that Ocelli ran 3rd that day. “
“And that horse (Ocelli) came back and ran in the Kentucky Derby and ran 3rd, plus only got beat a length and actually had the lead at the 8th pole. So, this a shorter race (Preakness) over 1m 3/16, so my main Preakness pick is gunna be number 10 – NAPOLEON SOLO. “
Eddie Olczyk was also asked about the Derby winner Golden Tempo skipping the Preakness – and feels US horses needs a change.
WATCH: Napoleon Solo Running In The 2026 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct
Eddie Olczyk’s ‘Other’ Preakness Picks: “I’m Gunna Use THREE Horses Underneath The 10”
In addition to Napoleon Solo, there are three more Eddie Olczyk Preakness Stakes picks and predictions to use ‘UNDERNEATH’ the main play.
Step forward – Numbers 9 (Iron Honor), 2 (Ocelli) and 5 (Talkin).
With Olczyk saying.
“I’m going to use three horses underneath him (Napoleon Solo) and do a ‘reverse wheel’. “
“I’m gunna use the 9 Iron Honor, the 2 Ocelli and the 5 Talkin. “
“So, I’m going to be playing the 10 (Napoleon Solo) over the 9, 2, 5 and reverse it with 2, 5, 9 with 10. “
“If you like one of two of these then box them up – whatever you want to do. “
“But I think you will get every bit of 7/1 or 8/1 on the number 10 – Napoleon Solo.”
Another plus for Ocelli is that the Preakness Stakes stats and trends tell is 12 of the last 14 winners came from post positions 6 or lower.
Eddie Olczyk Preakness Stakes Picks and Predictions 2026
- 🥇(10) – NAPOLEON SOLO
- ⬇️ Underneath – Iron Honor (9), Ocelli (2) & Talkin (5)
Preakness Stakes 2026 Odds & Post Positions
- Taj Mahal 5/1 (Brittany Russell)
- Ocelli 6/1 (D Whitworth Beckman)
- Crupper 30/1 (Donnie Von Hemel)
- Robusta 30/1 (Doug O’Neill)
- Talkin 20/1 (Danny Gargan)
- Chip Honcho 5/1 (Steven Asmussen)
- The Hell We Did 15/1 (Todd Fincher)
- Bull By The Horns 30/1 (Saffie Joseph Jr)
- Iron Honor 9/2f (Chad Brown)
- Napoleon Solo 8/1 (Chad Summers)
- Corona De Oro 30/1 (Dallas Stewart)
- Incredibolt 5/1 (Riley Mott)
- Great White 15/1 (John Ennis)
- Pretty Boy Miah 15/1 (Jeremiah Englehart)
Note: Preakness Stakes betting odds are subject to change and will be updated accordingly.
Preakness Stakes 2026 Race Information
📅 Date: Saturday, 16 May 2026
⌚ Time: 7:01pm ET
🏇 Racecourse: Laurel Park
🔄 Trip: 1m 1 1/2f
💷 Purse: $2m (Preakness Stakes 2026 Purse)
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing / NBC / Peacock
See How The Eddie Olczyk Preakness Stakes Picks Compare To Other Leading Handicappers
So, we now know the main Preakness play for Eddie Olczyk is the Chad Summers-trained Napoleon Solo – but how does his fancy compare to other top tipsters and handicappers?
You can also see the Michelle Yu fancies for Saturday’s big race, plus the horses that top judge Jody Demling likes.
Who Is Eddie Olczyk – The NBC Horse Racing Handicapper?
Plenty of racing fans will already have their own opinions heading into Saturday’s 151st running of the Preakness Stakes, as this latest group of three-year-olds look to land The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans.
Still, whether you’re a seasoned punter or just follow the sport casually, there’s always interest in hearing what the top racing voices have to say – and NBC’s Eddie Olczyk is firmly in that category.
Many will remember Olczyk from his 16-year NHL career, where he played for six different teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
He later returned to Pittsburgh as head coach in 2003.
Eddie Olczyk Horse Racing Picks 2026
After stepping away from hockey, Olczyk moved into broadcasting with NBC, covering the NHL.
That role eventually gave him the chance to bring his passion for horse racing to television as well. With the network bringing him in as an analyst and handicapper.
Since then, he’s become one of the familiar voices around the biggest races in the US, covering the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Breeders’ Cup, and Preakness Stakes for NBC.
His views – both on a weekly basis and on racing’s biggest days – are followed by thousands.
Which makes his 2026 Preakness predictions more than worth paying attention to. Especially after firing in a 1-2 in the Derby.
