Napoleon Solo at the 2026 Preakness Stakes: Odds, Post Position, and History

Napoleon Solo profile: 2026 Preakness Stakes odds, post position, history and more to know

Get caught up with Napoleon Solo's past performances, jockey, trainer and full analysis heading into the second leg of the Triple Crown

By Gene Menez

May 12, 2026 at 1:59 pm ET • 3 min read

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Named after the fictional character in the 1960s TV spy series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," Napoleon Solo emerged as one of the leading Kentucky Derby contenders last year when he won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in October. But in two starts since, he has been a bust, finishing fifth twice. On Saturday, he can validate the early hype when he leaves the starting gate in the 2026 Preakness Stakes. Bet Napoleon Solo and the entire Preakness Stakes at DraftKings Racing, where new users who click through our links can win a share of $150,000 with DK Horse's King of the Track promo here :

10 Napoleon Solo (8-1)

- Trainer: Chad Summers - Jockey: Paco Lopez - Last race: Fifth in the Wood Memorial by 2¾ lengths - Career record: 4 starts: 2 wins - Career earnings: $360,520 - Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 95 (Champagne Stakes) - Sire: Liam's Map

Below, we'll dig further into Napoleon Solo as part of our series profiling all the horses competing in the 151st Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 16. We'll look back into his past performances, what questions need to be answered Saturday and analyze how the post draw affects his chances.

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What to know about Napoleon Solo

What has happened to the Napoleon Solo from 2025? Last year, he was one of the nation's top 2-year-olds and one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby after winning his first two career starts, including the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes.

But in his first two starts of 2026 he finished fifth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (by 11 ¾ lengths) and fifth in the Wood Memorial (2 ¾ lengths). Even if one can forgive him for the Fountain of Youth non-effort since it came after a five-month layoff (trainer Chad Summers admits the horse was short on fitness in Florida), the Wood no-show is still puzzling. The race flow from the Wood suggests he set a hot pace that day, and maybe that race is better than it looked at the time since the third-place finisher, Ocelli, returned to finish third in the Kentucky Derby. (Napoleon Solo also finished ahead of Iron Honor in the Wood, and that horse is the 9-2 morning-line favorite for the Preakness.)

But Napoleon Solo's Beyer Speed Figures have regressed in his two starts since the Champagne, and that's not the direction a 3-year-old should be going in the spring. Also, he's one of several horses in the Preakness Stakes who do their running on the front end, so the pace scenario doesn't shape up to favor his running style.

But Napoleon Solo certainly has been training as if he's ready to get back to last year's form. On April 24 the son of Liam's Map completed a six-furlong workout in a little more than 1:11, and eight days later he worked out the same distance in a blazing 1:10.

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Post draw analysis

Trainer Chad Summers said the No. 10 post position was "great for us." But he did say that jockey Paco Lopez will have to keep an eye on the speedy Pretty Boy Miah trying to clear the field from the far outside post position, No. 14. If Napoleon Solo is back to his 2025 form, he should be prominent early.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/napoleon-solo-profile-2026-preakness-stakes-odds-post-position-history-and-more-to-know/)._