Two Turn Tradition: Class President Takes Rebel Vote At Oaklawn

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.–A strong tradition for any Kentucky Derby hopeful along the campaign trail to May is passing the two turn test. With distance in mind, owners and trainers are looking for their nominees to stretch their legs, embrace the debate that comes in the form of traffic and find ways to grind out a hard-earned victory.

At Oaklawn Park in the GII Rebel Stakes on Sunday, WinStar, First Go Racing and CHC Inc. owned colt Class President (Uncle Mo–Top Quality, by Quality Road) proved best at the wire as he hung on for the ‘W’ and earned 50 votes for his Derby ballot box.

The WinStar-bred colt burst on the scene at Gulfstream Park Dec. 27 when he debuted a winner by 3 1/4 lengths. The runner-up that day was Easterly (Uncle Mo), who came back Feb. 7 and broke his maiden for WinStar, First Go, and CHC.

With weather wreaking havoc throughout the land, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was forced to find a race for his colt and landed on the seven-furlong Swale Stakes in Hallandale Jan. 31. The bay posted a Beyer of 88 when second behind Solitude Dude (Yaupon), who on Saturday hit the board in the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Pletcher, who won the 2017 & 2018 editions of the Rebel, shipped Class President into Hot Springs earlier in the week and exercise rider Andie Biancone hit the track with the colt who settled into his new digs nicely.

Tabbed as an 8-1 shot here, Class President broke alertly from the two hole and shadowed favorite Litmus Test (Nyquist), who struck the front by effectively using his position along the rail.

The Pletcher trainee settled into the first turn and continued to wait for his cue from John Velazquez up the backstretch. The Hall of Fame rider hustled his mount alongside the pacesetter around the far turn and at the top of the lane Class President earned the lead.

Digging down deep with all his might, the 3-year-old was joined to the outside by the GIII Southwest Stakes hero Silent Tactic (Tacitus). As pair began to duke it out inside the final sixteenth, Class President proved to be a salty candidate by the bob of a nose.

The 1-2 Rebel finishers are now tied with 50 Derby points each. Litmus Test weakened to third and earned 15 Derby points, while ‘TDN Rising Star’ presented by Hagyard Blackout Time (Not This Time), making his first start since a runner-up effort behind fellow ‘Rising Star’ and future champion Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity in early October, was another 2 3/4 lengths behind in fourth.

First Go Racing’s Preston Troutt, the son of WinStar Farm owner Kenny Troutt said, “Coming into today we just thought that Class President was really live and had a serious shot here. To go get the leader and then fend off a late challenge like he did today was unbelievable. We wanted to put him longer in his second race, but because of the ice storm the schedule totally changed and so putting him in that race [Swale Stakes] was the only option. We always thought he wanted to go longer and he really showed us today what he was made of.”

Pedigree Notes:

Bred by WinStar Farm, Class President is out of Western multiple stakes winner and graded-placed Top Quality, who was purchased by WinStar for $335,000 at Keeneland January in 2019. A half-brother to SP Keepsake (Into Mischief), the son of Uncle Mo is also a half to the ill-fated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Pastor T (Into Mischief) who won his only career start at Del Mar. More recently, the Quality Road mare produced a filly by Justify in 2024 and a filly by Nyquist last season. She was bred back to the Darley sire. The victory represents the 64th graded/group score for Coolmore sire Uncle Mo.

 

🤩 #3 CLASS PRESIDENT ($19.00) is on the Kentucky Derby 🌹 leaderboard after a gutsy win in the $1,000,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at @OaklawnRacing! @ljlmvel piloted the Uncle Mo colt for trainer @PletcherRacing and owners @WinStarFarm, @ChinaHorseClub, and First Go Racing! pic.twitter.com/pVSTF2uhqj

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 1, 2026

Sunday, Oaklawn Park
REBEL S.-GII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 3-1, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.21, ft.
1–CLASS PRESIDENT, 119, c, 3, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Top Quality (SW & GSP-Can, MSW-USA,
                                 $139,704), by Quality Road
                2nd Dam: Lemon Bay, by Bernardini
                3rd Dam: Sweet Fervor, by Seeking the Gold
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-WinStar
Farm, LLC, First Go Racing and CHC, Inc.; B-WinStar Farm, LLC
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R. Velazquez. $540,000.
Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $593,700. *1/2 to American Speed
(More Than Ready), SP, $163,910. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
   Click for free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Silent Tactic, 124, c, 3, Tacitus–Magical Sign, by Gun Runner.
($60,000 Ylg ’24 FTKOCT; $500,000 2yo ’25 OBSAPR). O-John C.
Oxley; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$180,000.
3–Litmus Test, 121, c, 3, Nyquist–Study Hard, by Malibu Moon.
($875,000 Ylg ’24 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing,
Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne,
Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital LLC
and Donovan, Catherine; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$90,000.
Margins: NO, 5 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 8.50, 3.60, 1.50.
Also Ran: Blackout Time, Soldier N Diplomat, Strategic Risk, Honey’s to Blame, Rancho Santa Fe, Time for Music. Scratched: Bravaro. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.