Australia: La Jument favored in Sunshine Coast handicap

La Jument is a 6-year-old Australian-bred gelding who has won 2 of 5 starts since his career began in February. He has displayed his best performance in sprints, leaving him a strong favorite in a six-furlong handicap at Sunshine Coast Racecourse on Sunday in Australia.

La Jument is unbeaten in two starts at Sunshine Coast – a maiden race at six furlongs in his debut on Feb. 16 and a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on Feb 28.

After finishing fifth in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs on March 21 at Eagle Farm and ninth of 11 in a handicap at a mile on March 28 at Doomben, La Jument was given a three-month break, returning to finish second by three-quarters of a length at six furlongs on July 15 at Eagle Farm.

The gelding, who tends to run from off the pace, has an American-influenced pedigree. By prominent Australian stallion Fastnet Rock, La Jument is out of Decelerator, a mare by Dehere who won 5 of 21 starts and earned $366,904 racing in the United States from 2009-11.

Decelerator, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, won the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs in 2009 and two other stakes in her career. She was second to Hilda’s Passion in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland in 2010.

La Jument is one of two horses trained by Shaun Dwyer Jr. this year, and his only winner. The gelding will be ridden for the first time on Sunday by Jim Orman who returned from an absence of more than two weeks on Friday to win a maiden race at Ipswich Racecourse.

La Jument will carry top weight of 131 pounds in a field of 10 on Sunday.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing

There is no clear pacesetter in the group, although the 3-year-old gelding Fa Fa (127.8 pounds) and 4-year-old mare Villeneuve Lady (122.3) could race near the lead. Both have recent races that would be competitive Sunday.

First post time at Sunshine Coast is 11:05 p.m. Eastern, or 8:05 p.m. Pacific, on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.