Originally published Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Iditarod | Lance Mackey keeps lead, but sounds skeptical

Defending champion Lance Mackey was the first musher out of this Yukon River checkpoint Saturday in the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog...

By The Associated Press

NULATO, Alaska — Defending champion Lance Mackey was the first musher out of this Yukon River checkpoint Saturday in the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, leaving with a team he said was not running at top form.

"I'm not sure they're going to have what it takes," Mackey said of his 14-dog team before leaving Nulato to head to Kaltag, 42 miles away. "But I'm not giving up. A lot can happen between now and Nome."

The 37-year-old Fairbanks, Alaska, musher also was the first to reach Kaltag, which is 351 miles from the finish line in Nome. Mackey arrived in Nulato with 14 dogs — two hours ahead of four-time champion Jeff King, whose 16 dogs looked alert and fresh. King is from Denali, Alaska.

In Nulato, Mackey said his own dogs were finally responding to medicine for lingering diarrhea.

Mackey fretted that King's dogs will seize the lead.

"I'm going to do everything I can to keep that from happening," Mackey said. "But in all honesty, I think he's in control."

As for Washington mushers, Laura Daugereau of Port Gamble was 65th, Gene Smith of Omak was 72nd and Steven Madsen of Cougar was 85th.

Note

• Zaster, a 7-year-old male on the team of rookie musher John Stetson, died. A necropsy determined aspiration pneumonia as the likely cause of death, according to race officials, who said more tests will be conducted.

Stetson has pulled out of the race.

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