Glatt may keep Sharp Samurai sheathed for now

Trainer Mark Glatt was uncertain of the immediate plans for Sharp Samurai, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile to Knicks Go after encountering traffic trouble in a rough run to the first turn.

Sharp Samurai has proven he’s equally adept on turf and dirt, so there are plenty of potential options in the weeks and months ahead for a horse who was second in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile and Grade 2 Eddie Read in his two most recent grass races. But the most obvious immediate race, the Grade 2, $200,000 Seabiscuit at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar Nov. 28, is coming up a little quick, Glatt said.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with him,” Glatt said. “He’s pretty versatile, turf or dirt, but I haven’t thought that far ahead with him. I don’t think it’s impossible he’d run in the Seabiscuit, but it’s not likely. That would mean running back in three weeks. We’ll probably nominate and see how he’s doing.

“He ran awfully hard at Keeneland, had a lot of trouble into the first turn. It was really unfortunate, because I think he’d have been a clear second if that hadn’t happened.”

Sharp Samurai, 6, is a gelding who has now won eight times in 23 starts, with 17 in-the-money finishes, for earnings of more than $1.1 million.

Glatt is closing in on a personal milestone. He entered Friday’s racing at Del Mar with 998 career victories, and had seven entrants combined at Del Mar Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.