Australia: Petaluma in career form for Moruya handicap

September was a very good month for Petaluma, a 5-year-old Australian-bred mare who starts in a handicap at Moruya Racecourse on Friday.

Petaluma was unbeaten in three starts in September, winning handicaps at Moruya on Sept. 1 and Sept. 14 and a handicap at Goulburn last Sunday. Those races ranged in distances from 7 1/2 furlongs to a little more than a mile. Understandably, Petaluma’s handicap rating has risen to an all-time high in her seven-race career.

Despite the hike in class, Petaluma does not appear to be overmatched in Friday’s race, run at a little more than a mile. A four-time winner, Petaluma will carry 134.4 pounds, slightly less than topweight My Blue Jeans at 135.5 pounds.

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Petaluma is expected to be favored for trainer Danny Williams, who also starts My Blue Jeans, the winner of a five-furlong handicap at Goulburn on Sunday. My Blue Jeans, who has six wins in 47 races, has won at a mile.

Through the winning streak, Petaluma closed from off the pace, typical of her style. She was not favored in any of the wins.

The handicap is the seventh of eight races on a program at Moruya that begins at 11:05 p.m., Eastern, or 8:05 p.m., Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The 5-year-old mare Liveinthefastlane will carry 126.7 pounds in her third start of 2020. Liveinthefastlane was third and second in handicaps at Moruya on Sept. 1 and Sept. 14. A winner of 2 of 14 starts, Liveinthefastlane is winless in 10 starts since winning a one-mile handicap at Sandown Racecourse in February 2019.

On Sept. 14, Liveinthefastlane finished a neck behind Clergyman, who is part of Friday’s field. Clergyman has had two starts since a rest of nearly four months. Clergyman has won 2 of 10 starts at Moruya and is based at the track with trainer Lauren Davies.