Napoleon Solo has spent most of this year finishing in the middle of the pack. On Saturday, the colt finally figured out how to get to the wire first, holding off Iron Honor down the stretch to capture the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park in Maryland.
The victory marked the first win of the year for Napoleon Solo, who had disappointing fifth-place finishes in both the Fountain of Youth and the Wood Memorial. Trainer Chad Summers and jockey Paco Lopez, who achieved their first Triple Crown victory together, sent Napoleon Solo out at 7-1 odds. The colt paid $17.80 on a $2 win ticket.
Taj Mahal, a 9-2 favorite representing the longest odds for a Preakness chalk play since 1925, set the early pace and covered the first quarter-mile in 22.66 seconds. But trainer Brittany Russell's previously unbeaten colt faded badly, surrendering the lead to Napoleon Solo near the stretch. Iron Honor mounted a late charge but fell 1 1/4 lengths short. Chip Honcho finished third at 11-1.
The race unfolded at Laurel Park rather than its traditional home at Pimlico in Baltimore, where major renovation work is underway. The absence of Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo left a 14-horse field without its most accomplished competitor, keeping the middle leg of the Triple Crown wide open.
Napoleon Solo's two wins to start his career last year suggested much brighter prospects. He demolished the field in the Champagne Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in October. The slide into mediocrity that followed puzzled observers, but Summers brushed off doubters after Saturday's triumph.
"All year long, fifth place, fifth place. Everyone said he wasn't as good as he was in the Champagne," Summers said. "This was a win here. People will say it wasn't against the best of the best. We'll find out the rest of the year."
Three horses competed in both the Derby and Preakness this year: Ocelli finished fourth, Incredibolt came in fifth, and Robusta placed ninth. The Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, takes place June 6 at Saratoga in New York.
Author James Rodriguez: "Napoleon Solo's comeback from five-five to a stakes victory is exactly the kind of redemption story racing fans eat up, though Summers is right that the real test comes in deeper fields down the road."
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