In the following spring he was regarded as one of the few colts in Europe capable of challenging Frankel but finished unplaced behind the English champion in the 2000 Guineas and did not race again that year.
Pathfork is a bay horse with a white star bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings, a company owned by the Niarchos family.
As a breeding stallion he made an immediate impact by siring Funny Cide in his first crop of foals and went on to get numerous major winners including Drosselmeyer, Commentator, Flower Alley and Any Given Saturday.
[3] Pathfork's dam Visions of Clarity showed considerable ability as a racehorse, winning the Listed Prix Bagatelle over 1600 metres at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse in 2003.
He was always among the leaders, before going to the front entering the last quarter mile and kept on well in the closing stages to win by one and a half lengths from Glor Na Mara.
[8] With Berry again in the saddle, Pathfork was one of nine colts to contest the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh on 11 September and started 2/1 second choice in the betting behind Zoffany.
On his three-year-old debut Pathfork was sent to England to contest the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket Racecourse on 30 April and was made the 8/1 second choice in the betting behind the odds-on favourite Frankel.
On 4 February at Santa Anita Park the colt made his first appearance for his new trainer and finished sixth of seven runners behind Mr Commons in the Grade II Arcadia Handicap.