Tonight’s Program Going to the Dogs

There will be a lot of dogs in action tonight at Los Alamitos.

This is no knock on the quality of the 11-race program, which includes the $79,700 MBNA American California Challenge at 440 yards.

Rather, it is a statement of fact. A total of 64 dachshunds will compete in the popular Weiner Nationals, an annual event at Los Alamitos that always brings out a larger-than-average crowd.

There will be eight 50-yard trial heats for the dogs, the winner of each trial advancing to the final, which will be run about 9.

One of the dogs competing is Angel, owned by Julie Krone-Hovdey, the retired hall of fame jockey who now does television work at Hollywood Park.

In the MBNA Challenge, Dashing Knud will be looking for his third consecutive win and 13th in 20 starts. The 4-year-old gelding won his trial for tonight’s race by 11/2 lengths. Among his nine opponents are Chiarascuro, who won his trial heat in a quicker time than Dashing Knud; Cool Charles and Schofield Kid.

The picks: 1. Rock N Fastball. 2. The Done Thing. 3. Merrishino. 4. Kan Fly. 5. Meddlin In Money. 6. Raging Roman. 7. A S Demon. 8. Miss Kipty Yawl. 9. Pure Red Hot. 10. Dashing Knud. 11. Seeks Joy.

Four! Use Rock N Fastball and Im A Pritzi Boy in the first, single the entry of The Done Thing and Unknown Dame in the second, use Merrishino, She Is Classic and Kims Dash in the third and Kan Fly, Be Delightful and B. Fabulous in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Factorability gets a positive post change in the sixth. Fashion Maven is a debuting Corona Cartel filly in the ninth for trainer R C Howell.

Post time: 6:30 p.m.

On the Net: For entries and results from Los Alamitos, visit: www.latimes.com/horseracing/.