LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was the fastest few minutes in sports, at least for the day. A flurry of important workouts from the top contenders for the May 6 Kentucky Derby all took place within a matter of moments early Friday at Churchill Downs, with their connections later expressing their satisfaction with how those horses are progressing with a little more than two weeks to the big race. Forte and Tapit Trice, likely the top two favorites for Derby 149, worked separately for Todd Pletcher just after the track reopened following the 7:30 a.m. harrow break. Both colts went in company over a fast surface on a cloudy morning, with Forte, ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., going five furlongs in 1:01.89, according to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch, when working outside of 4-year-old Bright Future. “He’s got a great mind,” Ortiz said of Forte. “As long as he’s good, I’m good. I’ve got a lot of confidence in him.” Just before them, Tapit Trice went a half-mile in 48.91 seconds to the outside of fellow 3-year-old Equivoque. “Excellent,” Pletcher said afterward. “I thought we had a perfect morning. The horses worked really well, seemed to handle the track great. Very happy.” :: DRF Kentucky Derby Package: Save on PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more. At basically the same time, trainer Brad Cox worked his four Derby prospects in two-by-two teams. Angel of Empire and Jace’s Road breezed six furlongs together in 1:13.68, while Hit Show (inside) and Verifying went five furlongs together in 1:01.01. “All the riders were happy with them,” Cox said afterward. “We were happy with them. We liked what we saw. At this point, you’re just trying to maintain fitness, make sure you’ve got them good and ready, and hopefully they come out of it in good order. I was super-pleased with the condition of the track and how the horses handled it.” Pletcher, who worked a third Derby hopeful, Kingsbarns, here Thursday, said they all will work once more ahead of the 1 1/4-mile Derby. The final round of preps for both his and Cox’s foursome will come on or around next Saturday morning (April 29), depending on weather. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more Starting Saturday, and through the Derby, the 15-minute window following the break will be reserved exclusively for Derby and Oaks horses to breeze or gallop, with all of them wearing their Derby (yellow) or Oaks (pink) saddle towels. That was not the case Friday, as other workers also were mixed in during that busy period. Some 73 miles east down the highway at Keeneland, Blazing Sevens, third in the Blue Grass to Tapit Trice and Verifying, turned in a half-mile work that could prove crucial in determining his Kentucky Derby status. The colt, working solo, breezed in 48.60. Trainer Chad Brown, who was not on hand for the work, had previously said that this weekend’s work would provide information key in determining if Blazing Sevens moves ahead to the Derby. The colt has not won since taking the Champagne Stakes at a mile last fall, but, adding blinkers in the Blue Grass, showed improvement from an eighth-place finish behind Forte in the Fountain of Youth. He wore the blinkers for his work Friday, which was supervised by assistants Baldo Hernandez and Josh Flores. “He breezed very well, and we’re very happy with it,” Flores said. “That’s what you want to see from the first breeze back.” Blazing Sevens is scheduled to van to Louisville on Monday. If he were to defect from the Derby, it would allow Jace’s Road into the field as the next horse on the preference list. Also at Keeneland on Friday, Gulfstream Oaks winner Affirmative Lady breezed five furlongs in 1:01 flat toward the Kentucky Oaks for trainer Graham Motion.  – additional reporting by Nicole Russo :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.