HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has used the word “perfect” many times in describing how things have progressed over the last several months for his reigning juvenile champion Forte as he prepares for his role as the favorite on May 6 at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby. Just how perfect? So perfect, even Mother Nature couldn’t prevent Forte from remaining right on schedule and getting in his final South Florida workout as planned Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs along with another key Derby contender in stablemate Kingsbarns. Despite nearly 30 inches of rainfall in some areas less than 20 miles to the south – the deluge closed Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale airport for more than 24 hours and forced the cancellation of both Thursday and Friday’s racing programs at Gulfstream Park – Pletcher’s winter home at the Palm Beach Downs training center in Delray stayed relatively dry. Well, dry enough at least to work more than 30 horses between sunrise and 9:30 a.m. on Friday, including Forte, less than two weeks removed from his victory in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, and the undefeated Kingsbarns, who breezed in company with Major Dude, who is still in need of some help if he, too, is to crack this year’s Derby lineup. :: Get Gulfstream Park Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the Clocker Team. Available every race day.  Forte was first to go immediately after the track was harrowed at 8:45 a.m., breezing a maintenance-like half-mile in company with Bright Future. The pair posted a leisurely 25.63-second opening quarter split before completing the distance in 50.28, then eased up on the gallop-out in 1:04.23 over a track that had some moisture in it. Kingsbarns and Major Dude followed close on Forte’s heels, covering the same distance in 25.31 and 49.49. Both looked sharp galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.28 and six furlongs in 1:15.78, with Kingsbarns easing up after seven panels in 1:30.78. Pletcher obviously felt a lot more relaxed once all the works were in the book on Friday than during the previous 48 hours, when he had to agonize over what turn the unprecedented spring storm might take. “Fortunately we didn’t get as hard hit here as they did at Gulfstream,” said Pletcher, who acknowledged that his barn at Gulfstream was still partially under water on Friday. “I know that this track dries out really well, really quickly, so I knew unless we got a super downpour overnight, we’d likely be okay and when I came in this morning we were in good shape. "I just wanted to get the works in on the day we scheduled and we got lucky the track was in as good a shape as it was in this morning.” Pletcher described Forte’s breeze as little more than an “open gallop.” “I was borderline whether he needed two or three works before the Derby,” said Pletcher. “We just wanted to go easy today. He was moving very well and seemed happy.” Pletcher was extremely pleased at what he saw from Kingsbarns, who will enter the Derby perfect in three starts, which includes an easy wire-to-wire victory in the Louisiana Derby. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more “I thought Kingsbarns worked really well,” Pletcher said. “Not only the work but the gallop-out was very good. Looks like he’s continuing to improve. “Major Dude was fine too. When I told the riders to ease up, his rider eased up a little sooner than Kingsbarns did, but he held his own really well.” Forte, Kingsbarns, and Major Dude are among 15 horses Pletcher will send to Louisville on Sunday with all scheduled to have their next work at Churchill Downs on Friday. The one piece of business Pletcher still has to attend to is finding a rider to replace Flavien Prat aboard Kingsbarns in the Derby. “We haven’t done anything yet. A lot of people have contacted us with interest, but we’re going to just sit tight for the time being,” Pletcher said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.