Racing dogs preparing to whip around local park

As many as 30 of the fastest whippets in the West are expected to be racing in Las Vegas this weekend, when the Southern Nevada Sighthound Association raises the flag at its annual two-day winter race meet.

Other speedy breeds from at least five states are also on the roster, among them greyhounds, Borzoi, Basenjis, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Pharaoh hounds and Scottish deerhounds.

Some are traveling with their owners from as far away as Salt Lake City and the San Francisco Bay area. A few dogs are local.

The public is invited to attend the meet, free of charge, at Cragin Park, north of Valley View Boulevard and behind Hyde Park Middle School, between Fulton Place and Charleston Boulevard. Races begin each day at 10 a.m. and will last until 3 p.m., or until all dogs have run.

To avoid distracting the racers, organizers ask that spectators not bring their dogs.

"This is a fast and exciting sport," said Janet Adams, race secretary. "It's held to compete for racing titles, and mostly, it's held purely for the fun of it."

This weekend will be bittersweet for Adams, who lost her prize-winning Borzoi, Bubba, a few months ago. The two had traveled to many a competition in their days together; Bubba, in fact, ran in last year's sighthound event at Cragin Park.

"This is an affordable hobby for people who don't have the money to buy a race horse or a race car," she said. "Some people are really serious about their dogs getting points, but the high quality of good sportsmanship is astounding."

All breeds will run a 200-yard straight course in Saturday's event, which is sanctioned by the North American Whippet Racing Association and the Large Gazehound Racing Association.

On Sunday, dogs will be zipping around a 350-yard oval track in classic racing style, decked out in colored racing jackets and muzzles to keep them from grabbing at a plastic lure. The competition is sanctioned by the North American Oval Track Racing Association.

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