Fast Flying Rumor relishes turf in Select upset

Fast Flying Rumor, making his turf debut, outsprinted odds-on favorite Souper Colossal to score a surprising front-running victory in Sunday’s $60,000 Select Stakes for 3-year-old turf sprinters at Monmouth Park.

Ridden for the first time by Samuel Camacho Jr., Fast Flying Rumor ($37.20) shot to the front leaving the gate and sped 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.26 to beat Souper Colossal by 1 1/2 lengths.

Winning trainer Gerald Bennett said unlike his Monmouth debut on the main track, this time Fast Flying Rumor broke cleanly.

“It was good that he got a great start. Last time at Monmouth he hit his head on the gate,” Bennett said. “ He has good quickness out of the gate and we know that would be important.”

Bennett said he wanted to try Fast Flying Rumor, a son of West Acre owned by Winning Stables and Midnight Rider, on turf after the colt finished second on the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs in the $100,000 Tom Ridge Stakes.

“ He has loved the Tapeta track surface so we thought that would carry over to the turf,” Bennett said. “ He beat a good group of horses today. We will see how he comes out of this race and give him about a month off before we look to the future.”

Souper Colossal, whose only previous loss in five career starts came in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, had to settle for second as the 2-5 favorite, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Bluegrass Singer.