Sharp Samurai turned out, will race again next year

ARCADIA, Calif. – The multiple stakes winner Sharp Samurai has been turned out until early 2020, trainer Mark Glatt said on Friday.

Sharp Samurai was second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Aug. 18. He had one workout in September before the decision was made to give the 5-year-old gelding a rest.

“He had some things that were nagging at him and we thought this would be a good time,” Glatt said. “He’ll be out until the first of the year.”

Owned by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, Sharp Samurai has won 8 of 18 starts and earned $832,270. The Del Mar Mile was his best finish in four starts this year.

Glatt said he plans to run the former claimer Zestful in the $200,000 Marathon Stakes at 1 3/4 miles on Nov. 1.

“I don’t see any reason he couldn’t go that far,” Glatt said. “It depends on how the race sets up, too.”

Claimed for $8,000 in February, the 4-year-old Zestful won the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special at 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 15, his sixth consecutive victory. He is owned by Danny Haramoto, Sheldon Kawahara, Steven Sobol, and Glatt.