In 2013, Lethal Force emerged as one of the leading sprinters in the world by defeating strong international fields in both the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and the July Cup.

Lethal Force is a grey colt bred in Ireland by Declan Johnson, a "hobby breeder" based in County Kildare.

[3] Lethal Force's dam, Land Army, showed no ability as a racehorse, but was descended from Miss Ribot, a mare whose wins included the Santa Ana Stakes in 1969.

[4] In September 2010, Lethal Force was again put up for auction, this time at the Tattersalls Ireland sales and was bought for €8,500 by the trainer Clive Cox[5] acting on behalf of Alan G. Craddock.

Ridden for the first time by Adam Kirby,[7] he started at odds of 50/1 and finished fourth of the twenty-three runners, less than two lengths behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained winner Power.

[9] Lethal Force began his three-year-old season by dropping back in class for a maiden race over 5+1⁄2 furlongs at Bath Racecourse on 20 April.

[12] In the Park Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse in September, Kirby attempted to repeat the tactics he employed at Newbury,[13] but Lethal Force was caught inside the final furlong and finished third to Libranno.

On 7 October, Lethal Force was sent to France to contest his first Group One race, the Prix de la Forêt over 1400 metres at Longchamp Racecourse.

He hung to the left in the closing stages, but held on to win by two lengths from Society Rock, with the Bahraini challenger Krypton Factor in third and Gordon Lord Byron in fourth.

[22] On 4 August, Lethal Force was sent to France to challenge the outstanding mare Moonlight Cloud in the Prix Maurice de Gheest over 1300 metres at Deauville Racecourse.