Surf City’s top Dach

Mike Sciacca

Noodles is the one to beat.

So says Orlando Gutierrez of the Los Alamitos Race Course, the

site of the eighth annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals which will

be run on Saturday.

“I saw him race last year but he ran so fast that I didn’t see

much of him,” Orlando said of Noodles, a 2 1/2-year old Dachshund.

“He’s the champ until someone can beat him. He’ll be tough to

dethrone.”

The Huntington Beach canine lives with owners Kimberly and Nick

Ganier. He was the Wiener dog who got to trot into the winner’s

circle at the conclusion of last year’s event as he beat out 63 other

Dachshunds for the title of “Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals Top

Dog.”

The race, a 50-yard sprint to the finish line, was the first-ever

competition for Noodles.

“We were totally shocked when he won,” said Kimberly Ganier. “He

was on fire that day and he was such the little crowd pleaser. “We

had such a good time last year and now Noodles is back to defend his

title. There’s a bit of pressure, as defending champ, but it’ll be a

lot of fun.”

Noodles is one of five Huntington Beach Dachshunds entered in the

race -- the most dogs representing any one city.

Fritz, Minnie, Rusty and Sergeant Pepper are the four other Surf

City Dachshunds vying for the 2003 title.

“It’s [Sergeant Pepper’s] first race and we’re very excited,” said

Laura Buccella who, along with her husband, Brian, are the owners of

two-year-old Sergeant Pepper.

The field of 64 will be divided into eight, eight-dog heats with

the eight winners advancing to the final.

The Dachshund races will be run in conjunction with the horse

races, with one heat being run after every two horse races.

“It’s a great family event,” said Gutierrez, who added that the

Wiener Nationals typically draw the largest crowd of the season at

the race course. “The Dachshunds provide a fun, lighter side to the

regular horse races and everyone seems to get a kick out of watching

them sprint down the course. It’s all for a good cause, too.”

All proceeds from the race benefit the Seal Beach Animal Care

Center, which is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to

finding homes for lost and abandoned animals.

Gutierrez said that the previous seven Wiener Nationals has raised

more than $50,000 for the center.

In addition to earning the title of Top Dog the winner’s owner

will receive a $500 prize.

The Top Dog also will be awarded an official Wienerschnitzel

doghouse, a replica of the original A-frame restaurant.

The extensive process in which the 64 Dachshunds were selected to

compete included the dog’s owner writing an essay on why their dog

should make the cut.

Kimberly Ganier said she wrote the essay as though Noodles were

writing.

“He had no formal training for the event -- and he still hasn’t,”

she said. “All my husband and I do is take him out to play with his

toys, throw the ball around, and let him sprint.”

Kimberly Ganier said that she’s happy Noodles is competing once

again.

A week before last year’s Nationals, Noodles suffered a seizure,

she said. Still, he went on to race.

In August, he was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Noodles now takes medication for the epilepsy but is doing just

fine.

“He’s a special dog,” she said. “He’s a spunky, busy dog who’s

definitely cute but high-maintenance. But, we just love him.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.