Cape stallion and former Irish champion Pathfork is a half-brother to one of the most exciting three-year-olds in North America.
His half-brother War Of Will stamped himself a leading contender for the US Triple Crown races this year when he romped home to a four length win in the G3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday.
The colt made a huge impression on his trainer Mark Casse, who said of racing’s latest star, “I’ll give it to (owner)Gary Barber. He was like, ‘We have to try the dirt. Every time we worked him, everybody was like, ‘This is a good dirt horse.’ I thought his earlier win at Churchill Downs was so impressive. He’s got a tremendous cruising speed. I have just the utmost respect for this horse. I think he has the potential to be an absolute superstar.”
War Of Will, who picked up 10 points on the Kentucky Derby trail following his breath-taking win on Saturday, is likely to run next in the G2 Risen Star Stakes. He has now won twice, with his efforts last year including a runner up finish in the G1 Summer Stakes.
Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione said of the colt following his win, “He’s something special. You just put him wherever, and he handles the rest.”
A son of War Front, War Of Will shares his Listed Prix de Bagatelle winning dam Visions Of Clarity with Pathfork, who spent the 2018 breeding season at the Sandown Stud.
The regally bred Pathfork (whose other notable relatives include legendary sire Redoute’s Choice, multiple champion South African sire Northern Guest and standout performers Peeping Fawn, Romanised, El Gran Senor, and Rags To Riches) has made his mark in South Africa through the likes of graded stakes winners Mighty High, Red Chesnut Road and My Friend Lee, and star Eastern Cape filly Madame Speaker.
A son of Distorted Humor, the G1 National Stakes winning Pathfork has three lots on this week’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale –
Lot 12 –a half-sister to Oaks runner up Beloved Betty, whose dam is a G3 winning daughter of Arch
Lot 28 –a colt out of the stakes winning Jallad mare Comebackanddance
Lot 63- a half-sister to short lived sprint star and millionaire Trip Tease