In the autumn of 2025 NAPOLEON SOLO was a leading prospect for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. He won his first two starts in New York by a combined 11 ¾ lengths, including a Grade 1 win in the Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct.

After a nearly five-month break, he finished a well-beaten 5th in his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He put forth a better effort five weeks later in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct but still ran 5th once again.

At that Point the son of LIAM’S MAP was on the Kentucky Derby qualifying points bubble. That bubble burst when trainer Chad Summers and owner Al Gold, along with some input from jockey Paco Lopez, decided to bypass joining the Also-Eligible list for the May 2nd Kentucky Derby and set their sights on the $2 million Preakness.

It was the right choice. Lopez, back aboard after first riding NAPOLEON SOLO in the Wood Memorial, gave his mount a perfect pace-pressing trip behind 9-2 Post-Time favorite TAJ MAHAL.

After getting the first run on the tiring leader at the top of the stretch, he had plenty left in the lane to hold off the Chad Brown colt IRON HONOR by 1 ¼ lengths. The win gave Lopez his first victory in a Triple Crown race.

“The last few days we were worried – can he go the distance, are we gonna get loose,” Gold told NBC shortly after receiving a replica of the Woodlawn Vase in the Winner’s Circle. “And it was just the perfect scenario. Everything was just awesome… This is a Crown Jewel race; it’s the most important race we’ve won.”

Unfortunately, for racing fans there won’t be a matchup of Derby winner vs Preakness champion in the Belmont.

Trainer Chad Summers said after the Preakness that the next target for NAPOLEON SOLO will be the $1 million-dollar Haskell Stakes July 18th at Monmouth Park.

And while the choice to not bring NAPOLEON SOLO to Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes is disappointing, his connections seem to be making good decisions in regard to giving him the best chance to win.