Napoleon Solo has won the 151st Preakness Stakes, overhauling local hope Taj Mahal at the top of the stretch before holding off Iron Honor and Chip Honcho to deliver trainer Chad Summers his first victory in the Triple Crown's middle leg.

Summers had mapped a patient ride for his charge and jockey Paco Lopez who looked to have the race in the bag a long way out. The pair were banking on a late rally to overcome the pace-setters in a race shifted to Laurel Park while Pimlico undergoes its $400 million reconstruction. The tactical approach proved decisive as Napoleon Solo surged past the odds-on favourite when it mattered most.

The victory carried an edge for Summers, who addressed recent criticism of his campaign in the moments after the finish. "We had a lot of critics out there that told us to shut up," he told NBC Sports. "We just kept with it and kept with it." His message to those critics now: "Shut up."

The race marked the first 14-horse Preakness field since 2011, though it unfolded without Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, who was scratched by trainer Cherie DeVaux due to the compressed two-week spacing between the Derby and Preakness. That decision ended any chance of a Triple Crown bid for 2026.

Laurel Park hosted a crowd of 4,800, capped by organisers, with the infield closed to spectators throughout the card.

Brown confirmed the stable will now prepare Napoleon Solo for the Belmont Stakes.

Image: Preakness