ELMONT, N.Y. – Irad Ortiz Jr. didn’t have time to feel sorry for himself when he got the news that Forte, the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, was scratched the morning of the race due to a bruised foot. He had a full plate of action on that day’s 14-race card at Churchill Downs. While he called the scratch “heartbreaking,” Ortiz noted that “we have to turn the page and keep going. I had [12] mounts that day, I had other owners I had to go out there and try to do the best for them. I can’t live in the past.” Ortiz, who did win two graded stakes on the May 6 Churchill card, including the Grade 1 Turf Classic for the same connections as Forte, picked the up the mount on Cyclone Mischief in the Kentucky Derby, but finished last of 18. With Forte not pointing to the Preakness, Ortiz will ride Blazing Sevens next Saturday in the second jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico. On Saturday morning, Ortiz got reacquainted with the Blazing Sevens, working him five furlongs in 59.87 seconds, according to Daily Racing Form, over the Belmont Park main track. It was only the second time Ortiz sat on Blazing Sevens. He rode him to a third-place finish in the Blue Grass on April 8. Saturday, Blazing Sevens started a length behind stablemate Artorius, a 4-year-old who last year won the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga, came up alongside that one by the quarter pole and finished a head in front at the wire, getting his last quarter in 23.73 seconds. Blazing Sevens galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.09. :: Get ready to bet the Preakness! Join DRF Bets and score a $250 Deposit Match + $10 Free Bet + Free PPs - Promo code: WINNING “Nice and easy,” Ortiz said about the work. “I didn’t move on him. The track is maybe a little fast, but he worked nicely.” Chad Brown, the trainer of Blazing Sevens, last year’s Grade 1 Champagne winner, said he wanted Ortiz to work the horse to gain some more familiarity with him. “Sometimes in the morning you can spend a little more time with them and get a feel for them and [Ortiz] was quite pleased today,” Brown said. “He worked with a good horse … it was a good test for him. We got him in a minute-flat, it looked like he did it with plenty in reserve.” Brown put the blinkers on Blazing Sevens for the first time for the Blue Grass Stakes where he finished third behind Tapit Trice. That race came after a non-effort when eight behind Forte in the Fountain of Youth, the first race of the year for Blazing Sevens. “I think he’s more focused with the blinkers he’s certainly on the bridle every pole which I like to see,” Ortiz said. Ortiz said he felt Blazing Sevens, in the Blue Grass, was compromised by a wide trip. :: DRF's Preakness Headquarters: Contenders, latest news, and more “I tried to get some position and I ended up going too wide,” Ortiz said. “He ran a great race, but the way [Brown] sees the horse now he told me he sees the horse stronger and fitter.” Brown, who’s won two of the last six runnings of the Preakness, including last year with Early Voting, said he is likely to ship Blazing Sevens to Baltimore on Sunday morning. Brown said that is earlier than he typically does, but noted there were some travel issues last year with Early Voting. At Churchill Downs Saturday, First Mission, the Lexington Stakes winner, worked five-furlongs in 59.20 seconds, the fastest of 24 works at the distance. According to trainer Brad Cox, First Mission worked in company with fellow 3-year-old Tapit’s Conquest, starting slightly behind that one and finishing about a length in front. Cox caught First Mission galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40. “Breezed great, just cruising along, looked really, really good,” said Cox, who noted First Mission would ship to Pimlico on Monday. * Mage, the Kentucky Derby winner, had his final gallop at Churchill Downs Saturday morning before leaving by van later in the afternoon for Baltimore. According to Churchill Downs publicity, Mage had a hind bandage come loose during the first half-mile of the gallop, which exercise rider JJ Delgado had to pause his training to fix. Mage was scheduled to leave Churchill Downs around 4 p.m. and was expected to arrive at Pimlico around 1 a.m. Sunday. His first day on track is scheduled for Monday. * Trainer Steve Asmussen said Red Route One, the Bath House Stakes winner, is scheduled to work Sunday at Churchill Downs while Disarm, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is scheduled to work Monday. * Perform, the Federico Tesio Stakes winner, is scheduled to work Sunday at Belmont Park.   :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.