Lance and his Leaders

Lance Mackey and his lead dogs, Larry and Maple. Photo by Theresa Daily, Daily's Web Design, GoMush.com



Tonya Mackey bestows a kiss on her husband's leader, Maple. Photo by Theresa Daily, Daily's Web Design, GoMush.com

Lance Seizes the Lead

Lance heading out on the Iditarod Trail from the Willow Re-Start on Sunday, photo by Helen Hegener, Northern Light Media.

According to his Comeback Kennel website, Lance's team includes: Larry (Team Dog), Chucko (Team Dog), BoyCuz (Team Dog), Maple (Leader), Rapper (WheelDog), Tulasak (Team Dog), Pimp (Wheel), Dred (Leader) Rev (Leader), Battel (Leader), Niki (Team), Lippy (Leader), Shasta (Team ), Zena (Leader), Pauly (Wheel/Team)

From Lance's site: He still has 16 healthy, happy dogs running in his team. Four of those dogs are rookies to this years Iditarod trail. They have done good, trained well and now they have accomplished running over half the Iditarod trail. He couldn't be happier. "It's like watching your kids grow up and do well" he says" there's a certain amount of pride taken in watching them excel"

Iditarod Updates

Jon Little's Trail Notes:

Only Lance Mackey can lose about an hour getting lost at the end of a long run, and not have it effect his race much. Mackey is in control of this race now, the earliest he ever taken charge. Now the question is, can anybody challenge him?

Josh Rogers' Iditablog:

The question now shifts to if either Seavey, King, or Neff will be able to make up the distance between them, and Lance Mackey. Hugh Neff is facing some pretty formitable competitors in a hunt for his first victory, Jeff King is searching for a 5th Iditarod Championship, and Mitch Seavey is looking for his second.

Anchorage Daily News:

Mackey on Friday fell asleep on his sled during a 25-mile run from Shageluk to the Yukon River town of Anvik, took a wrong turn and cost his team a couple of hours, briefly sapping its spirit.

But by Saturday morning Mackey's 16-dog freight train was rolling again. He reached Eagle Island at 8:33 a.m., and an hour later he was still alone there.