In the Navy steams to victory in Mr. Sulu

In the Navy didn’t need the seas to part to win the $50,000 Mr. Sulu overnight stakes Friday at Fair Grounds.

Jockey Adam Beschizza navigated him into a perfect spot, pressing slow-paced leader Morning Mischief, and In the Navy sailed past at the three-sixteenths pole, cruising to a one-length win.

Grande Basin rallied from eighth to finish second with 8-5 favorite Ninety One Assault coming from even farther back for third. Both closers were disadvantaged when a host of horses with speed in their past performance lines were taken back off the lead.

That was fine with Beschizza, the English import who is spending his second season at Fair Grounds and nearly won a riding title in his first. A year ago, Beschizza depended nearly entirely on the munificence of trainer Joe Sharp for live mounts, but his business has expanded and on Friday trainer Scott Gelner tapped Beschizza to ride In the Navy for the first time.

Morning Mischief and jockey Mitchell Murrill were the only ones with real designs on the front end and, after an opening quarter-mile in a reasonable 23.92 seconds, the pace became almost becalmed, the half going in a tepid 49.43. That was perfect for In the Navy, who had one inferior foe in his sites and all his chief rivals trying to make ground into the pokey tempo. In the Navy got his final quarter-mile in 23.51, a full two seconds faster than the race’s second quarter-mile, and was timed in 1:37.98 for one mile over firm turf. He paid $14.40 to win.

Gelner trains In the Navy for his breeder, Ken Standlee. The 4-year-old Louisiana-bred gelding is a son of Midshipman and the Dixieland Band mare, Southern Princess. Expect to see him in the Louisiana Champions Day Turf next month. With a trip like Friday’s, Standlee’s flag could fly there, too.