PR_MESSAGE_CLASS is a MAPI property, it will be lost when the message is converted to MIME when it is sent through an SMTP server.
You can force Outlook to send in the RTF format (the infamnous winmail.dat file) which will preserve all transmittable MAPI properties. Try to set the UseTnef (DASL name http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/id/{00062008-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}/8582000B
) property using MailItem.PropertyAccessor.SetProperty.