Sprinters seek place in the sun

If a case can be made that Bordonaro should have been a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top sprinter in 2006, why not Proud Tower Too as well?

The 5-year-old son of Proud Irish won two of his three starts last year, one fewer victory than Bordonaro posted, but he earned more than double the money of his fellow California-bred.

Proud Tower Too won most of his cash with his victory in the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen last March, a Group I dominated by shippers from California. One of his victims was eventual Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Eclipse Award winner Thor’s Echo.

Owned by Daniel Cardenas’ Tricar Stable and trained by Sal Gonzalez, Proud Tower Too, who capped his 3-year-old season with a 20-1 upset in the Malibu, will take on defending champion Bordonaro and seven other sprinters in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint today at Santa Anita.

Winner of three of seven in Arcadia, Proud Tower Too finished third in the El Conejo Handicap on New Year’s Day in his first start since winning in Dubai. He was beaten by a length by Harvard Avenue, who rallied from last.

“He needed that race big-time,” David Cohen, Proud Tower Too’s regular rider, said. “I think he had only four works into him before the El Conejo and he should have had two more. With those, there’s no doubt in my mind that he would have won. He’s a powerhouse right now.”

The Sprint and the $500,000 Turf, which will feature the 2007 debut of Lava Man, are two of the four Sunshine Millions races that will be run at Santa Anita. The richest of the eight races restricted to California- and Florida-breds, the $1-million Classic, will be run at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

Sweetnorthernsaint, the winner of the 2006 Illinois Derby and second to Bernardini in the Preakness, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/8 -mile Classic, but he must deal with the outside post in a field of 12. With the quick run into the first turn going nine furlongs at Gulfstream, Sweetnorthernsaint almost certainly will be caught wide.

“We know we’re at a disadvantage,” trainer Michael Trombetta said. “But it is one of those things that is out of my control, so I’m not going to worry about it. It’s like the weather.

“I’ll talk to [jockey Ramon Dominguez]. My horse likes to be forwardly placed and Ramon will have a moment or two to find a spot. I have a lot of confidence in him and I think we’re going to do well.”

Among those opposing Sweetnorthernsaint, who was third in the Hal’s Hope in his first start as a 4-year-old three weeks ago, is California Cup Classic winner Texcess, who will be ridden by Garrett Gomez and is the 4-1 second choice. Other California shippers include McCann’s Mojave, who has won two in a row for trainer Steve Specht and owner-breeders Alix Nikki Hunt and Mike Willman, and Get Funky, the upset winner of the Del Mar Derby last September.

*

Post time at Santa Anita today is 11:45 a.m, 45 minutes earlier than normal on a weekend.

*

The other two local Sunshine Millions races are the $250,000 Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs and the $500,000 Distaff for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Take D’Tour, a 6-year-old Tour d’Or mare, will make her California debut after winning six of 10 in 2006, including a pair of graded stakes victories in New York.

*

Threeatonce, an 18-1 shot, finished third in Friday’s fifth race at Santa Anita as the last horse saddled by trainer Noble Threewitt, 95.

Threewitt, who began his career in 1932 and was at Santa Anita when the track opened in 1934, will officially retire in a winner’s circle ceremony Feb. 24, the day he turns 96.

*

Wild Fit, who won the 2005 Del Mar Debutante and was second to Folklore in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies later that year, died recently of colic, according to trainer Patrick Biancone.

*

Unbeaten Discreet Cat, the only horse to have defeated Invasor, will probably make his first start of 2007 in the $6-million Dubai World Cup on March 31 in the United Arab Emirates.

That race was also expected to lure Invasor, the reigning horse of the year who will make his first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park a week from today.

*

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com