Doggie Derby

Molly ran a few feet, got distracted,

turned around, and headed back.
Higgins zoomed to the finish line.

Almost 200 hundred dogs

with owners in tow,
were out in Baldwin Park
for the fifth annual race.

Doggie Derby pits golden retrievers

against border collies,
French bulldogs against Boston terriers,
Pugs against dachshunds.

In a bracket style tournament;

dogs go head-to-head in a 25 yard race.
Winning dogs advance to the next round,
losing dogs watch from the sidelines.

Most races last only
a few seconds as dogs—
tongues hanging out—
sprint to the finish line.

In this year’s Doggie Derby,

a black Labrador retriever named Casey
was named grand champion.

© Catherine Giordano

Excuse the bad pun, but this project appears to be going to the dogs.