Top 10 Reasons to Catch Mackey

Now that the race leaders are starting to close the gap on Iditarod front runner Lance Mackey, it time to take a look at who might be capable of catching him. So without further adieu, from our home office in Crow Village Alaska, here is this year's top 10 list: Top 10 reasons to catch Lance Mackey

10) "I need to get the truck keys from dad."

22 year old Dallas Seavey probably has his own wheels now, or at least based on his incredible performance in this year's race takes his dog sled everywhere anyway, but wouldn't it be sweet to show the old man (Mitch Seavey is currently 2nd) who is the better musher?

9) "Size doesn't matter"

Paul Gebhardt's team is down to 10 dogs, which seems kind of short considering the 15 dog team of Mackey, but Gebhardt has historically been a late charger, and if it weren't for some unfortunate breaks would have won this race before. The 53 year old is in the best shape of his life and will be helping his small team in the hills to the coast and the hills down the final stretch.

8) "I need a new pair of fur lined sneakers"

Cim Smyth along with his brother Ramey Smyth impress us with their blazing finishes year in and year out. Cim has been known to ditch the snow packs for a pear of sneakers so he can sprint along with his dog team to the finish, so don't count him out if he is within striking distance at the end.

7) "There is no stinking road to distract me."

Finishing second in the 2009 1000 mile Yukon Quest due to a two hour penalty handed to him for taking a road for 5 miles instead of the trail, Hugh Neff has run a solid race from the start.

6) "I'm running low on smokes"

Every time we see Aaron Burmeister second guessing the strategy of front runner Mackey, he is taking a drag off his Marlboro. The longer Mackey stays in front, the fewer smokes Burmeister will have left.

5) "He'll be toast on the coast"

Kotzebue Alaska musher John Baker lives and trains on the Bering Sea coast where the lead pack is headed to now. His team will be most comfortable running on trail and conditions they are used to.

4) "I did a Quest"

2009 Yukon Quest winner Sebastian Schnuelle would like to repeat the Iditaquest feat Mackey has performed over the past 2 years winning both the Quest and the Iditarod in the same seasons. He also has an appointment at the Nome Hair Salon he doesn't want to miss. Inexplicably, after checking out of Kaltag, Schnuelle appears to be headed back down the river according to the GPS tracking device.

3) "I owe him one"

Jeff King lost his bid to winn the Iditarod last year when Mackey snuck out of the checkpoint while King was napping. King may leave half of his 25 foot sled at the checkpoint this year to trick Mackey into thinking he is still there.

2) "Life is more then a Quest"

Hans Gatt who has won the Yukon Quest 3 times (only surpassed by Mackey's 4 victories) scratched 450 miles into this year's Quest to better position himself to win the Iditarod. Gatt has raced the Iditarod 9 times with his best finish being the 6th place he recieved in last year's race.

1) "I've caught him before"

Mitch Seavey cashed in $100,000 in the winner-take-all All Alaska Speepstakes last year by catching the hard charging mackey in the latter stages of the 408 mile race. Seavey was in 4th place at the Kaltag checkpoint when he won the Iditarod in 2004, so coming from behind is nothing new to him.