Laurel, MD——-Preakness Stakes history was made Saturday at Laurel Park as Napoleon Solo surged to victory in one of the most emotional and unexpected moments of this year’s Triple Crown season.
The 3-year-old colt entered the race at 7-1 odds and delivered a powerful late charge to overtake race favorite Taj Mahal before holding off a determined run from Iron Honor down the stretch. Napoleon Solo crossed the finish line first in 1:58.69, winning by 1 ¼ lengths and giving a group with deep New Jersey ties its first Triple Crown race triumph.
The victory marked a career-defining moment for trainer Chad Summers, owner Al Gold, and veteran jockey Paco Lopez, one of Monmouth Park’s most accomplished riders.
For Summers, the win represented years of persistence and belief. After beginning his career as a racing journalist, he transitioned into training in 2017 while pursuing a lifelong passion for thoroughbred racing that began during trips to Belmont Park with his father.
In his first-ever Preakness appearance as a trainer, Summers delivered the biggest win of his career.
Moments after the race, the emotional trainer addressed critics who doubted both him and his horse throughout the season, saying his team stayed committed despite constant skepticism.
Napoleon Solo entered Saturday’s race looking to rebound after disappointing efforts earlier this year in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Wood Memorial. However, Summers remained confident that the horse still possessed the talent he displayed during a dominant Champagne Stakes victory at Aqueduct last fall.
That confidence paid off in dramatic fashion.
Early in the race, favorite Taj Mahal burst from the rail position and established a blistering pace, covering the opening quarter-mile in 22.66 seconds. The local favorite briefly energized the Laurel Park crowd as trainer Brittney Russell attempted to become the first female trainer to win the Preakness following Cherie Devaux’s Kentucky Derby breakthrough earlier this season.
But as the field entered the final stretch, Napoleon Solo steadily closed the gap before overtaking Taj Mahal and fending off a late challenge from Iron Honor to secure the victory.
Chip Honcho finished third in the 14-horse field, the largest Preakness lineup since 2011.
The win also delivered a strong financial return for bettors, with Napoleon Solo paying $17.80 on a $2 wager.
Owner Al Gold revealed after the race that he purchased the horse for $40,000 during a 2024 auction after Summers strongly encouraged him to make the investment. A fan of classic television and sports culture, Gold named the colt after the character Napoleon Solo from the 1960s spy series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”
Following the race, Gold praised Summers for his dedication and passion for horse racing, calling the Preakness triumph the realization of his trainer’s dream.
Attention now shifts toward the Belmont Stakes on June 6, where Napoleon Solo is expected to continue his Triple Crown campaign. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, who skipped the Preakness because of the short turnaround, is also expected to return for the Belmont, setting up a highly anticipated showdown.
Saturday’s Preakness was held at Laurel Park while Pimlico Race Course undergoes a reported $400 million renovation project. The atmosphere was far more subdued than a traditional Preakness crowd, with attendance limited to 4,800 spectators and no infield access available during the event.
Even with the smaller crowd, Napoleon Solo’s breakout performance delivered a memorable chapter in Triple Crown racing and elevated a determined New Jersey team onto one of horse racing’s biggest stages.
