[insert Chihuahua joke here]

Just when you think you've heard it all, along comes the story of a The Woodlands pooch who is headed off to the national Chihuahua races. No, really — April Fools' Day was three weeks ago.

The canine in question is Piccolo (or is it Piccolo?), a year-and-a-half old brown-and-white Chihuahua who beat out more than 125 competitors at a derby in League City on Saturday. It's all down to training, apparently: "He raced last year, but he was young, only 5 or 6 months old, and he turned right around and ran back to the start. This time, he was more mature, and had been to the dog park a bit," Minut Sanden, Piccolo's owner, told KTRK.

Regional contests in the fourth annual PETCO Unleashed chihuahua races are still being held across the country (and you can see video at the link if you're curious). The finals will be held in San Diego on Aug. 31, when the nation's speediest Chihuahuas will run as fast as their tiny legs can carry them between innings of a Padres game at — where else? — PETCO Park. The winner will get a trophy, a $300 PETCO gift card and a year's supply of Chihuahua chow.