Class President thwarts Silent Tactic in Rebel; Explora the Honeybee queen

Mar 01, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Class President (right) fights back to nip Silent Tactic in the Rebel (G2) (Photo by Coady Media)

You can add another name to Todd Pletcher’s roster of Kentucky Derby (G1) candidates, as Class President scored an 8-1 upset in Sunday’s $1 million Rebel (G2) and took home 50 points.

Class President battled back to beat Silent Tactic in a photo finish at Oaklawn Park, leaving Bob Baffert’s favored Litmus Test back in third.

But the Baffert team didn’t go home empty-handed. His filly Explora justified even-money favoritism in the $750,000 Honeybee (G3), adding 50 points to become the new Road to the Kentucky Oaks leader with 95 points.

Rebel (G2)

A homebred for WinStar Farm, campaigned in partnership with First Go Racing and CHC Inc., Class President had the least experience of any horse in the Rebel.

The son of champion and influential sire Uncle Mo had raced just twice at Gulfstream Park, winning impressively in his debut and placing second in the Swale S. The 1 1/16-mile Rebel posed a stiffer challenge, as his first try around two turns, and on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Hence Class President went off as the fourth choice in the betting, behind Baffert’s 3-2 Litmus Test; the 2.70-1 Blackout Time; and the 3.60-1 Silent Tactic, who was coming off a decisive victory in Oaklawn’s most recent scoring race, the Southwest (G3).

Litmus Test flashed speed from his inside post, but Class President had the gears to track him through fast fractions of :23.06 and :46.62. Rounding the far turn, Litmus Test came under pressure from Class President passing six furlongs in 1:11.77.

Class President, under good handling by Johnny Velazquez, appeared to be traveling better than Litmus Test. He grabbed the lead and promised to put the favorite away.

Although Class President won his battle with Litmus Test, he had not yet won the war. Silent Tactic, who had been biding his time off the pace, ranged alongside in the stretch.

As Silent Tactic tackled Class President, he looked ready to forge clear, much like he did in the Southwest. Class President proved to be a tougher and more resilient foe, however, and he would not go away.

Silent Tactic briefly edged ahead, but Class President counterpunched and regained the advantage in their duel to the wire. With his nose back in front, Class President clocked 1:43.21 and returned $17 to his fans.

What a horse race! 👀

In a battle to the wire, a determined CLASS PRESIDENT repelled SILENT TACTIC to earn 50 Kentucky Derby points in the G2 Rebel and put himself on the leaderboard! 🌹

Todd Pletcher trains the son of Uncle Mo and @ljlmvel was aboard.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/eyMJK4w0f3

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 1, 2026

Silent Tactic ran another terrific race while conceding five pounds to Class President. Earning another 25 Derby points, Silent Tactic now has a total of 50. That ranks him second on the leaderboard, ahead of Class President (because Silent Tactic has more non-restricted stakes earnings). They are just behind overall leader Paladin, who has 60 points.

There was a 5 1/4-length gap back to Litmus Test in third (15 points for a total of 34). Blackout Time, who had stalked in third early, tired in his return from a layoff and wound up fourth (10 points for a total of 15).

Soldier N Diplomat was a tough-trip fifth (five points for a total of 18) after being hung out wide on the clubhouse turn and finding himself uncharacteristically far back. Strategic Risk, Honey’s to Blame, Rancho Santa Fe, and huge longshot Time for Music concluded the order of finish. Bravaro was scratched in favor of Saturday’s Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park, where he placed fourth.

Class President’s resume now reads 3-2-1-0, $593,700. The bay debuted around Gulfstream’s one-turn mile, so Pletcher did not originally intend to shorten him up for the seven-furlong Swale. But circumstances made the Swale the most realistic spot to get another race into him. In that context, Class President did well to finish a clear second to the razor-sharp sprinter Solitude Dude, who came back to place a hard-trying third in the Fountain of Youth.

Kentucky-bred Class President is out of Top Quality, a multiple stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed daughter of Quality Road. This is the further family of millionaire Concerto, the ninth-placer in the 1998 Kentucky Derby.

Honeybee (G3)

Explora holds off Counting Stars in the Honeybee (G3) (Photo by Coady Media)

Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman’s Explora was rebounding from a runner-up effort in the Las Virgenes S. at her home track of Santa Anita. The class of the field here as a Grade 2 winner and second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), she worked out a straightforward trip with new rider Flavien Prat.

Explora took up a forward position early, prompting the pacesetter Knickleandime. After Knickleandime established splits of :23.45, :47.70, and 1:12.49, Explora made her move and struck the front turning for home.

Counting Stars rallied to keep things interesting, and Explora had to stay focused to fend her off. But the favorite still had three-quarters of a length to spare at the wire.

Finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.52, Explora paid $4 to her loyalists.

Counting Stars earned 25 Oaks points in second, two lengths clear of Sneaky Good (15 points for a total of 21). Search Party, winner of Oaklawn’s Martha Washington S. in her latest, closed for fourth (10 points for a total of 30). Knickleandime faded to fifth (five points for a total of 11), followed by Grace Is Free, Classic Glide, hitherto unbeaten Taken by the Wind, and Take Charge Macy. Newtown Pike was scratched.

EXPLORA is a picture of consistency and holds off COUNTING STARS to win the G3 Honeybee! ✨

The 3YO filly picked up 50 Kentucky Oaks points. 🌷

Bob Baffert trains and Flavien Prat was in the saddle.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/FGN0hnk5Qy

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 1, 2026

The Honeybee made Explora a millionaire with $1,064,250 in earnings from her record of 7-4-3-0. The dark bay has continued her pattern of alternating wins with second-place finishes. A sparkling debut made her the hot favorite in the Del Mar Debutante (G1), only for her to be upset by stablemate Bottle of Rouge.

Explora turned the page with a devastating win in the Oak Leaf (G2), but she was then beaten as the Breeders’ Cup favorite. Returning at the top of her game in the Santa Ynez S., Explora again could not string two wins together when overturned in the Las Virgenes.

By champion Blame, who handed the great Zenyatta her lone loss in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Explora was bred in Kentucky by Mesingw Farm. She sold to her current connections for $350,000 as a two-year-old in training at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic.

Explora is out of the Bernardini mare Collections Choice. Explora’s maternal grandmother is multiple Grade 1-placed stakes winner Model, by Giant’s Causeway.