Pyle to make U.S. riding debut
ARCADIA, Calif. – British jockey William Pyle will have his American debut Thursday at Santa Anita, a month after he arrived for a seven-week stay to ride in the mornings for trainer Dan Blacker.
Pyle, 22, will ride the Blacker-trained Victory Matters off a two-year layoff in a maiden race for California-breds at a mile on turf.
Pyle, who has won 54 races in the last four years, has been exercising Victory Matters in recent weeks.
“He gets on well with the horse,” Blacker said.
Victory Matters has started once, finishing a troubled ninth in a maiden race for statebreds at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita in January 2023. Victory Matters drew the inside post in a field of six in Thursday’s fourth race.
“He’s had one start, and it didn’t go his way,” Pyle said in the stables on Sunday. “He’s a blank canvas in a way.”
Pyle is closely allied with trainer Craig Lidster, who is based in Northern England. Pyle, who last rode Dec. 12, won 24 races in 2023 and 22 last year. He admits he started too soon as a teenager.
“It’s been the last two seasons that have been good seasons,” he said.
In his brief stay in the United States, Pyle has noticed significant differences between flat racing in Britain and California.
“It’s like a different sport,” he said. “It’s all go, go, go.”
Victory Matters is part of a field of six. Canani and Fight Back, both fourth in their last starts, are expected to dominate the betting.
Pyle said he plans to stay in the United States until the end of this month before returning to England. He admits a victory on Thursday would trigger emotions.
“If I win, you’ll see tears,” he said.
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