Preakness Stakes post positions determine the gates from which each horse starts in the race. History tells us that starting positions can play a vital role in who wins the second leg of the Triple Crown. Our experts explain the importance of post positions at Pimlico Race Course – and how they may influence your wagers!

How Do Post Positions for the Preakness Stakes Work?

Preakness post positions are allotted when final declarations are made. This is usually on the Monday or Tuesday before the race when a random draw takes place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and determines positions.

In keeping with traditions, a numbered marble or pill for each eligible horse is placed into the blind draw machine and mixed up. From here, each horse’s connections choose the starting position of preference from the slots available. When these are determined, Preakness Stakes racebooks update their odds with those numbers.

The post positions for the Preakness Stakes are numbered from 1 to a maximum of 14, with lower numbers located closer to the inside rail. These are considered the most advantageous, as there is less ground to cover to attain a favorable position in the field.

Preakness Stakes Post Positions 2026

The 2026 Preakness post positions were revealed at 5:30pm local time on Monday, May 12 at Pimlico Racecourse. Here is the draw for this year’s race:

1. Goal Oriented (6-1)
2. Journalism (8-5 fav)
3. American Promise (15-1)
4. Heart Of Honor (12-1)
5. Pay Billy (20-1)
6. River Thames (9-2)
7. Sandman (4-1)
8. Clever Again (5-1)
9. Gosger (20-1)

Why the Preakness Stakes Post Position Draw Matters

Preakness Stakes post positions can make or break a horse’s chances in the race. Outside gates tend to fare poorly when compared to positions closer to the inside rail. This may be as simple as Preakness Stakes horses on the outside having more ground to cover and traffic to navigate.

A quick glance at previous Preakness Stakes results tells us post position 14 has never produced a winner, but there aren’t always that many runners. Gate 6 holds the overall win record, meanwhile, with 16 victories.

When you consider the draw is random, this data illustrates a point where a horse starts from matters. This is enough to see prices change drastically when comparing Preakness Stakes post positions and odds after the draw.

While this information may be startling when learning how to bet on the Preakness Stakes, we don’t recommend basing your entire strategy on it. But to deny that some gates are better avoided would be foolish with such compelling trends.

Preakness Post Positions & Stats

It doesn’t take long to notice patterns and trends in Preakness horse stats and data. Put simply, some gates are simply more successful than others. For this reason, we highly recommend considering the gates where past Preakness stakes winners have emerged.

Most Preakness Winners Post Positions

Gate 6 is the most successful post position in the history of Pimlico Race Course’s showpiece event, with 16 wins. This gives this post position a 13.79% Preakness Stakes win rate, putting it ahead of 4 and 7, which both have 14 wins and 12.07% success ratios, respectively. If you are serious about betting on horse racing’s Preakness showdown this year, that cannot be ignored. Regardless if you have Preakness Stakes tickets or are betting online.

Worst Preakness Draw

Gate 14 on the outside of the Preakness post position draw has failed to produce a single winner in history. All other posts have had at least one triumph, with 13 the only one-time winner. That was Rachel Alexandra, who became the first filly in 85 years to win the race with an impressive victory in 2009. She took her rightful place in the Preakness Hall of Fame as 2016 inductee.

While bookies making Preakness Stakes payouts for a win from higher draws can still happen, it hasn’t occurred very often. And that is bound to impact the odds for horses racing from outside gates.

Recent Preakness Stakes Post Positions & Odds of Winners

Here are the Preakness Stakes odds and post positions for every champion since 2000. What’s particularly interesting about this data is the dominance of horses from the inside half of gates – number 1 alone has produced three victories since 2015.

For this reason, we encourage bettors making Preakness Stakes picks to consider lower to middle draws from post positions:

FAQs

When is the Preakness Stakes draw made?

The draw for Preakness Stakes post positions usually takes place a few days before the race. For example, in 2025 in the 150th Preakness Stakes, the draw was held on the Monday (12th) before race day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

How are Preakness Stakes post positions determined?

A random draw is scheduled earlier in race week, in which post positions are set. The Preakness post position draw is random and overseen by race officials to ensure impartiality. 

What happens if a horse is scratched after the draw?

Preakness entries and post positions remain the same. The position assigned to the scratched horse remains vacant, however. Bets on scratched horses made with horse racing betting sites may be voided, changed to the favorite, or lost – this depends on the site and its policies for that wager.

Do Preakness post positions and odds influence each other?

The short answer is yes, Preakness odds and post positions can influence each other. This is something to think about when making your picks for the Black Eyed Susan Stakes, as well as the big race. For example, data suggests a horse’s chances of winning the race are markedly better if it starts from a more favorable gate. On the flip side, horses positioned in historically unsuccessful gates may see their odds lengthened by horse racing betting sites.

What is the worst Preakness Stakes post position a horse can draw?

Outside post positions have historically been poor. 13 and 14 have just one win between them (for #13) at the time of writing. Starting from the outside positions means both covering more ground and dealing with more traffic. Horses must also do this in tracks like Churchill Downs at Gulfstream Park. Even if the tracks have different features and demands.