[5] Further race preparation was then hampered by an infection picked up early in 2010, although the trainer was always confident the horse was a potential Derby winner following his first "eye-opening" outing, describing him as "brimful of promise".

[1] On 13 May 2010, again ridden by Ryan Moore, Workforce finished second in the Derby warm-up race the Dante Stakes at York.

[1][6] Trainer Stoute also suggested Workforce would have preferred slightly softer ground in the race, pointing out he was still "a once-raced baby".

Workforce won the race having caught the pacemaker and early leader, the 100–1 long shot At First Sight, inside the two-furlong mark.

Still being ridden by Ryan Moore, the horse came fifth in the mile-and-a-half long King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, having entered the race as the 8–11 favourite and as the experts pick due to the earlier Derby win.

The eventual winner was, in fact, Workforce's stablemate, Harbinger, also trained by Michael Stoute, who set a new course record time and winning distance in the process.

[7] With two furlongs to go in the race, Workforce and Cape Blanco were leading the six-horse field, when they were said to have been passed with ease by the 4–1 entry Harbinger who "coasted home" after running the last quarter mile alone.

On his final racecourse appearance, Workforce attempted to become the first horse since Alleged in 1978 to win consecutive runnings of the Arc de Triomphe.