Lyle The Crocodile to make graded stakes debut in Mathis Mile

Lyle The Crocodile, third in two restricted stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar earlier this year, will have his first start in a graded stakes in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, the opening day of the track’s winter-spring meeting.

Lyle The Crocodile won two races on the all-weather surface at Dundalk, Ireland, last winter, and is winless in five starts in the United States for trainer Phil D’Amato.

D’Amato has won the Mathis Mile three times, most recently last year with King of Gosford.

Lyle The Crocodile was third by three-quarters of a length in the Oceanside Stakes in July, and third by the same margin in the Let It Ride Stakes on Oct. 30. In his only subsequent start, Lyle The Crocodile finished sixth by 1 3/4 lengths as the 2-1 favorite in an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 29.

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Lyle The Crocodile set the pace to the final furlong on Nov. 29, and will not be ridden in that manner in the $200,000 Mathis Mile, D’Amato said.

“The key is to not go to the lead with him,” D’Amato said. “He likes to get some cover.

“He needs to be ridden the right way. I think ridden properly, he fits with those horses.”

Umberto Rispoli will ride Lyle The Crocodile, D’Amato said.

Lyle The Crocodile is one of 11 nominees to the Mathis Mile, a group that includes Tempus Volat, who won the Let It Ride Stakes and was fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 29 as well as Friendly Confines and Maaz, who were sixth and seventh in the Hollywood Derby.

Maaz was second in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, while Friendly Confines was second in the Let It Ride Stakes.

Rispoli is also booked to ride the D’Amato-trained Slick in the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 26. Slick was fifth of nine as the 9-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita on Oct. 26, and won a maiden race at a mile on turf in a much brighter performance at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.

The $300,000 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on turf and the Mathis Mile are two of six graded stakes on the Dec. 26 program.

The program has two Grade 1 races at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds worth $300,000 – the Malibu Stakes and La Brea Stakes for fillies; and two races for 3-year-olds and older horses – the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes on dirt at 1 1/16 miles, and the Grade 3 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

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