Laurel Park is the house. Finally.
It hasn’t looked like this since 1903. Actually 1908. The renovations at Pimlico dragged on. Too long. So the 151st running of the second jewel goes north, to the nearby track, for the first time in more than a century. It feels weird. It should.
But the horses don’t care about architecture.
Saturday, May 16. That’s the day. Post time for the main event is 6:50 p.m. Eastern. 3:50 Pacific. If you’re in London, you’re staying up until almost midnight. Australia wakes up for it. Sunday morning there, 8:50 a.m. local time.
Golden Tempo isn’t here.
The Derby winner bowed out. Saving his legs for the Belmont makes sense, logically, but it leaves a vacuum in the odds. Chad Brown’s charge Iron Honor is the favorite now. A wide open race? Maybe.
Brittany Russell is the real story.
She’s saddling Taj Mahal. If she wins, the history books change. First woman to win the Preakness. That is not a small thing. It’s everything. Fourteen runners total. Everyone wants the Woodlawn Vase.
US Streaming (No Cable)
Got an antenna? Cool. Point it at NBC. Free TV is underrated.
Otherwise, go digital. Peacock has it. The subscription starts around $11 a month. It’s the cheapest way to get NBC on a laptop or phone if you’re already on a service that includes the channel, like YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, or DirecTV.
Wait, isn’t that more expensive than an antenna? Usually, yes.
But we are in 2026. Convenience costs money.
Watching from Abroad
Leaving the US for the race? Bad move? Maybe. Or just logistically tricky.
A VPN might help with privacy. It encrypts traffic. Stops your ISP from seeing what you click. It also blocks throttling. But streaming services hate them. NBC will fight you for regional rights. Always check the Terms of Service. Some platforms block VPNs entirely. If you use one, you risk losing the stream.
It’s a gamble. Like buying an exacta with longshot numbers.
UK and Canada
In the UK, the action is locked behind a paywall. Sky Sports. Specifically the Racing channel. Already have the package? Use the Sky Go app. Don’t? Now is your friend. Get a Sports membership. It works.
Canada? Easy. Citytv. It’s free. You just turn the TV on. Simple as that.
Australia? Racing.com. Both the app and the site carry the feed for free. Lucky break for down-under fans who have to watch the horses sweat in the dark while the US sleeps.
History favors the bold, or at least the well-connected.
Who are you watching? Iron Honor? Or are you betting on the girl with the historic saddle? The field is deep. The track is new.
The starting gate opens in a few weeks.
See you there.
