Analysis of the 2026 Preakness Jockeys
The 151st Preakness Stakes goes on Saturday at around 6:50pmET from Laurel Park. The Preakness was moved from “Old Hilltop” in Pimlico (Baltimore) to about 30 miles away in Laurel, Maryland, due to renovations of the Pimlico Race Course. Let’s take a look at the jockeys in this race, where two riders will make their Preakness debuts, and five have Preakness wins on their resumes.
(by alphabetical order).
1)Alex Achard (Great White)
Originally from: France
Age: 34
First ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Archard was going to ride on Great White in the Derby on May 2 and then the horse unseated Archard and flipped over, losing its mind in front of the 150,000 fans at Churchill Downs. He has ridden Great White in all four of his career races and his horse shouldn’t be afraid of the 4,800 at Laurel Park. Great White has two firsts in four races.
2)Junior Alvarado (Crupper)
Originally from: Venezuela
Age: 39
Third ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Alvardo rode Chief Wallabee to a fourth-place finish at the Derby. In 2025, he had Belmont and Kentucky Derby wins with Sovereignty. Alvarado guided Crupper to a win in the Bathhouse Row Stakes, clinching a berth in the Preakness.
3)Rafael Bejarano (Robusta)
Originally from Peru
Age: 43
Fourth ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Bejarano is one of those solid jockey, who has spent moves to the 2010s in California and makes his first appearance in the Preakness in 17 years. He’ll take the reins on Robusta, who finished 14th in the Derby two weeks ago. His best finish in the Preakness was with Sun Kin in 2005 (4th).
4)Tyler Gaffalione (Ocelli)
Originally from: Florida
Age: 31
Fourth ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Gaffalione rode Ocelli to third place in the Derby two weeks ago. The horse came into the Derby as a maiden (without a career win). There hasn’t been a maiden to win the Preakness since 1888. Gaffalione has the experience (even though it’s at Pimlico), winning with War of Will in the 2019 Preakness.
5)Micah Husbands (Bull by the Horns)
Originally from: Barbados
Age: 23
First ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Husbands is the nephew of Patrick Husbands, who recently retired. Micha Husbands won 12 times at Gulfstream in the winter of 2025-26. Won the G1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park. He will make his Preakness debut on Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Bull by the Horns, who won the Rushaway Stakes on March 21 at Turfway Park.
6)Paco Lopez (Napoleon Solo)
Originally from: Mexico
Age: 40
Second ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Lopez is one of the leading jockeys on the East Coast, but somehow has just one Preakness mount. He’s on Napolean Solo, who finished fifth in the Wood Memorial after setting the early pace. Lopez is known for being an aggressive jockey. Solo also won the G1 Champagne Stakes in October and might be the fastest of the early speed horses.
7)Irad Ortiz Jr. (Talkin)
Originally from: Puerto Rico
Age: 33
Eighth ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Ortiz Jr. is a five-time Eclipse Award winner as the outstanding jockey. He just missed at the Derby as Renegade railed furiously from near the back of the field just to lose to Golden Tempo, ridden by Jose Ortiz, Irad’s brother. Irad rode Blazing Sevens by a head three years ago in the Preakness to National Treasure. Talkin hasn’t won since his debut last August.
8)Jose Ortiz (Chip Honcho)
Originally from: Puerto Rico
Age: 32
Seventh Preakness ride
Outlook: Jose Ortiz won the Eclipse Award in 2017, has a Kentucky Oaks win and a Kentucky Derby win two weeks ago. Golden Tempo won the Derby but is bypassing the Preakness. So Ortiz, who is looking for his second Preakness win with Steve Asmussen-trained Chip Honcho. This horse beat Golden Tempo at the Risen Star Stakes. Asumussen usually knows what he’s doing. He skipped the Derby for the lower-key atmosphere and small crowd at Laurel.
9)Flavien Prat (Iron Honor)
Originally from: France
Age: 33
Fourth ride at the Preakness
Outlook: Prat has won the last two Eclipse Awards. He won aboard Rombauer in the Preakness and then finished third and fourth over the past two years. He will ride one of the favorites in Iron Honor, who won the Gotham Stakes, before finishing seventh in the Wood Memorial. Chad Brown decided to skip the Kentucky Derby and wait for the Preakness. The biggest question is whether he’s favored due to his trainer and jockey or due to his resume’.
10)Sheldon Russell (Taj Mahal)
Originally from: Louisiana
Age: 38
Fourth ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Russell has won six riding titles at this track in Laurel. He was born in Louisiana and raised in England as the son of Dean Russell, who rode overseas. His wife, Brittany, trains most of his horses, including Taj Mahal, who started his career with two stakes wins and 3-for-3, all at Laurel. He won the Tesio, which is the annual prep at Laurel Park.
11)Luis Saez (The Hell We Did)
Originally from: Panama
Age: 33
Fifth ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Saez is making his fifth start in the Preakness, after nearly pulling off an upset win last year with Gosger. He took a five-length lead in the home stretch but yielded in the final strides to Journalism. In 2018, Saez also finished second to Justify in the Preakness aboard Bravazo. The Hell We Did was runner-up in the Lexington Stakes last month at Keeneland. He’ll have a shot with one of the best jockeys in North America.
12)Ricardo Santana (Pretty Bo Miah)
Originally from: Panama
Age: 33
Fourth Preakness ride
Outlook: Santana returns to the Preakness after a five-year absence. Santana will ride an improving horse in Pretty Boy Miah, who has only run at Aqueduct. Santana will have his work cut out for him, but he’s earned eight riding titles at Oaklawn Park during the 2010s and early 2020s.
13)Jamie Torres (Incredibolt)
Originally from: Puerto Rico
Age: 27
Second ride in the Preakness
Outlook: Torres won with Seize the Grey in 2024 at Pimlico for the last great Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. Incredibolt was a late entry, who finished sixth at the Derby. The Riley Mott-trained horse had two wins as a 2-year-old and won at the Virginia Derby. But he also finished last at the Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 31.
14)John Velázquez (Corona de Oro)
Originally from: Puerto Rico
Age: 54
15th Preakness ride
Outlook: The legendary jockey has finished third or betting in four of his last five Preakness starts. That was topped by National Treasure’s win three years ago. Velázquez is one of the best jockeys of all time, having captured three Kentucky Derby wins and two Belmonts. Corona de Oro is coming in after finishing third in the Lexington Stakes. With Dallas Stewart as the trainer and Velazquez as the jockey, you can’t count him out.
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