Expert Preakness Picks Focus on Laurel Park

The 2026 Preakness Stakes heads to Laurel Park on Saturday with one proven handicapper’s picks already steering the pre-race debate.

Reports indicate Jody Demling, a racing expert credited with calling 11 Preakness winners, has released his selections for this year’s running. That record gives his forecast unusual weight as bettors and casual fans sort through the field, the odds and the final hours before post time. The early chatter also centers on a key absence: Golden Tempo will not run in the race.

That missing horse matters because it reshapes how the field looks, even without adding fresh certainty. A scratched or absent contender can alter pace expectations, betting behavior and the storylines that build around a major race. In a sport where small changes often trigger big reactions, the removal of a single name can force handicappers to rethink how the contest may unfold.

A strong forecasting record does not decide the race, but it can set the terms of the conversation before the horses ever reach the gate.

The broader intrigue comes from the gap between expertise and unpredictability. Demling’s history suggests discipline and insight, not guarantees, and that tension sits at the heart of every Triple Crown event. Fans want a clear read on the field, but horse racing rarely offers one. Odds move, conditions change and a race can turn in seconds.

What happens next will drive both the betting market and the national sports conversation. As Saturday approaches, attention will lock on the final field, the latest odds and whether the expert-backed choices hold their ground. For racing followers, that matters because the Preakness often tests not just the horses, but the confidence people place in patterns, reputations and predictions.