Mackey has lead, but can his dogs keep it?

Stephen Nowers photo

Lance Mackey at the Unalakleet checkpoint early Sunday.

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UPDATED: Lance Mackey left Unalakleet at 9:48 a.m. after resting for six hours and 16 minutes.

With 12 dogs and a deepfreeze, marathon run from the Yukon River to Norton Sound, Lance Mackey held on to the lead he established over Jeff King when he blew through the village of Kaltag without a break.

As the first musher to arrive in Unalakleet early Sunday, he won $2,500 in gold and had three hours to rest before Jeff King showed up. More than an hour later, Hugh Neff and Hans Gatt pulled in.

Mackey, who keeps his team moving with short breaks and frequent snacks, is known for wildcard moves, and this one was "a master stroke," said Unalakleet checker Sheldon Katchatag. He has watched and volunteered for dozens of races, and has a soft spot for Mackey, who stopped to hug him in 2007 as he drove his team into Nome for a win.

"He's a people person. He's real. He doesn't have any arrogant stuff, and he takes time to sign autographs and talk to locals," said Katchatag, who believes Mackey is now well-positioned for a fourth win.

But if King has his way, Mackey's lead will be short-lived. The four-time Iditarod champion took only one minute longer than Mackey to make the run and believes speed remains his best advantage over the defending champion.

"I was fricken' flying," King said.

From a warm room inside the Unalakleet checkpoint, Mackey spoke of the spur of the moment decision that gave him the lead over King.

Pulling into the checkpoint of Kaltag mid-Saturday, Mackey wanted to know two things: Did King, who was at that point of the race running ahead of Mackey, already leave? And if he did leave, did he take hay? Hay would mean he was planning to camp along the way, while leaving without it would signal he was planning a straight run for Unalakleet.

When Mackey learned King was still in the village, he stayed just seven minutes before moving on.

"It shouldn't be any real surprise to anybody that I just did that," said Mackey, noting that his trademark is to make long runs on minimal rest. "I am totally willing to gamble any time, any day."

The year Martin Buser pulled off the fastest Iditarod run in race history, he reached Nome in eight days, 22 minutes and 46 minutes, and slid into Unalakleet at 6:17 a.m. Sunday, two days and two and half hours before his victory.