Class President, winner of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, will scratch from Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes, trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday.
“Just didn’t like the way he went today,” Pletcher said by phone from Keeneland. “Not saying he’s off the [Kentucky] Derby trail. We’ll check him out.”
The Blue Grass also lost Ocelli, who arrived in New York Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial after vanning from Kentucky.
Class President, owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and First Go Racing, was the 7-2 third choice on the morning line for the Blue Grass. Class President, a son of Uncle Mo, won his maiden at first asking going a mile at Gulfstream in December and then finished second in the Swale in January. In the Rebel, he got passed by Silent Tactic but battled back in the stretch to win by a nose.