Class President to Miss Triple Crown With Bone Bruising

Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Class President, scratched from the April 4 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland after not training to the satisfaction of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, is formally out of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the rest of the Triple Crown because of bone bruising. The Uncle Mo colt has two wins and a second in three starts for owners WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC. Elliott Walden, CEO and racing manager for WinStar Farm, posted on X April 10 that "Class President will get 60 days off for bone bruising. He had all diagnostics (PET, CT, X-rays) and revealed no surgeries were needed." He further wished the connections of horses pointed to the Derby good luck in the May 2 classic at Churchill Downs. Bone bruising also sidelined another leading 3-year-old for Pletcher this spring: reigning champion juvenile male Ted Noffey. The latter is expected to resume training in May. Class President's defection was anticipated after he missed the Blue Grass. Earlier this week, his regular jockey, John Velazquez, secured the Derby mount on Blue Grass winner Further Ado for trainer Brad Cox when that colt's usual rider Irad Ortiz Jr. opted to ride Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Renegade, Daily Racing Form reported. Pletcher trains Renegade for Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable. Class President's defection and others from the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in recent days have lowered the threshold of minimum qualifying points required to gain entry. Churchill Downs officials use qualifying points as a preference system when the Derby draws more than its maximum field size of 20 horses. As of the morning of April 10, the lightly raced but talented Chief Wallabee (50 points) is considered the first also-eligible, though he and others are expected to make the field. Chief Wallabee won his debut before a runner-up finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and a third-place finish in the Florida Derby (G1). Ottinho, Stark Contrast, and Iron Honor—three horses qualified for the Derby and ahead of him by qualifying points—are only considered "possible" starters by Churchill Downs. Those three, who would be longshots in the $5 million Derby, a 1 1/4-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds, could be pointed to other races. After Chief Wallabee, the next horses on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in preference order are Chip Honcho (49), Intrepido (38), Grittiness (36), and Nearly (35). Chip Honcho, Grittiness, and Nearly are only designated as "possible" for the Derby and could race in alternative races. Bravaro (35 points) is next on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, followed by Litmus Test (34) and Great White (30). Confessional, running in the April 11 Lexington Stakes (G3), currently has 15 points but could advance his total to 35 with a victory in Saturday's race. A win in the $400,000 race would move him ahead of Nearly based on having higher nonrestricted stakes earnings by virtue of the high value of the $400,000 Lexington. Last year, 39 points were required to make the body of the field, though Baeza, the race's only also-eligible, drew into the Derby field with 37.5 points when Grande was scratched on the advice of a regulatory veterinarian. Baeza ran third behind Sovereignty and Journalism. Rich Strike memorably drew into the Derby in 2022 as an also-eligible, upsetting the field at 80-1 odds.