Jockey Adam Beschizza making his name known in U.S.

Adam Beschizza, virtually unknown in the United States 16 months ago, missed winning the 2017-18 Fair Grounds riding title by one win. After posting seven wins during the four-day racing week spanning Feb. 21 through Feb. 24, Beschizza entered Thursday’s races atop the jockey standings with a 61-58 lead over James Graham.

Beschizza, 26 and in his ninth year as a professional jockey, was slogging along as a journeyman jockey in England when he decided to take his chances in the United States. Beschizza had backing from the start here from trainer Joe Sharp, for whom Beschizza had worked during a brief U.S. stint a couple years ago, and he had an excellent meet last Fair Grounds season after coming in cold.

Beschizza spent the summer and early autumn in Kentucky, got to New Orleans early for the start of the Fair Grounds meet, and has been at or near the top of the local standings all season.

“I went into this with an open mind, expecting the worst and hoping for the best,” Beschizza said of his move from England. “I didn’t know what sort of opportunities Joe would throw at me. It was good we got the ball rolling right away, and things sort of snowballed from there.”

Beschizza said following Fair Grounds he’ll ride again in Kentucky. The five-year visa allowing him to live and work in the United States expires during the summer of 2020, but Beschizza, as of now, intends to apply for another one and has no plans to leave America.

“If you take it from a professional outlook, the way things have gone so far, it would probably be a step down going back to England,” he said.