Fast Flying Rumor looks primed for Turf Dash

OLDSMAR, Fla. – A case of the thumps had slowed down Fast Flying Rumor last summer, but the 3-year-old West Acre gelding returned fresh, fit, and ready last Friday at Tampa Bay Downs, scoring at 13-1 in an optional $100,000 claimer for trainer Gerald Bennett and jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. That effort has the horse set for a return to stakes company in the $100,000 Turf Dash here Jan. 9.

Last Friday, Fast Flying Rumor pressed the pace in the five-furlong turf sprint before edging clear to score by 1 1/2 lengths. He stopped the clock in 55.72 seconds and earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, equaling the highest mark of his career. Fast Flying Rumor also earned an 87 for his 17-1 upset in the $56,400 Select Stakes at Monmouth Park in June.

In both cases, it was easy to understand why Fast Flying Rumor was overlooked in the wagering. In the Select Stakes, he was trying turf for the first time and was facing Souper Colossal, a three-time stakes winner who would go on to finish second in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby. Last Friday, Fast Flying Rumor was coming off a layoff of more than three months following three subpar efforts in which he was beaten by a combined 21 1/2 lengths.

The reason for those disappointing performances, Bennett said, was the thumps, or spasms of the diaphragm similar to hiccups that are usually caused by dehydration and low levels of electrolytes such as blood calcium. After being given a break, Fast Flying Rumor trained like his old self, turning in a bullet three-furlong workout in 35.60 seconds on Nov. 14.

“He had been training really good, and we were wanting to run him on dirt earlier in the meet, but the race didn’t fill,” Bennett said. “He was ready to go as soon as the meet started. I expected a big race from him, and he ran like he was training. He ran big on turf the first time at Monmouth, but he was getting a little bit dehydrated after his races, so we gave him time and got him back right. Hopefully, things will stay good with him and we’ll have a good year with him. He’s a very fast horse.”

Fast Flying Rumor, who races for Winning Stables Inc. and Midnight Rider LLC, has four wins and four runner-up finishes in 13 career starts and has earned $120,795.

Bennett has three wins from 18 starters at this meet, with half of his runners finishing in the money. His son, Dale, ranks just ahead of him in the trainers’ standings with four wins, while Dennis Ward leads with five.

Speed Seeker ends drought

Speed Seeker, the winner of the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine in 2014, won for the first time in 10 starts this year last Saturday, leading gate to wire under Allen to score by a half-length over Innovative Idea in a third-level, optional $62,500 claimer going a mile on grass here.

Trainer Joan Scott said the 4-year-old Speed Seeker could take a second crack at the Hillsborough Stakes, which was upgraded to Grade 2 status for its next running March 12. In this year’s Hillsborough, Speed Seeker finished a strong third at 60-1 behind Stephanie’s Kitten, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Scott said she would consider running Speed Seeker in the Grade 3 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes on grass here Feb. 13 as a prep for the Hillsborough.

Speed Seeker had faced strong company during her losing streak, which included a second-place finish to Interrupted in the $150,000 Lady Baltimore Stakes on the Laurel Park turf in September.