Yukon musher Kleedehn leads pack in Yukon Quest's 3rd day

William Kleedehn of Carcross, Yukon, leads a field of 29 mushers and dog teams Monday in the Yukon Quest, as the 1,600-kilometre northern sled-dog race is in its third day.

Kleedehn, 49, arrived at the Stepping Stone hospitality stop at 11:35 a.m. PT Monday, according to the race's website. He had arrived thereaboutfour hours after leaving the checkpoint at Pelly Crossing, Yukon, located about 50 kilometres away.

Behind him was Hugh Neff of both Skagway, Alaska, and Annie Lake, Yukon, who passed through thePelly Crossing checkpoint just before 8 a.m.

Rounding out the top five mushers Mondaywere Hans Gatt of Whitehorse and Alaskan mushers Brent Sass and Jon Little.

Warren Palfrey of Yellowknifemoved up from 10th to sixth place by midday, after he left the Pelly Crossing checkpoint at 11:20 a.m.

None of the 29 mushers have dropped out of the race since the race began Saturday morning from Whitehorse. Teams are running 1,600 kilometres through rough terrain and Arctic conditions toward Fairbanks, Alaska.

Rookies from Jamaica, Japan

The next major stop for mushers who have already passed Pelly Crossing will be 323 kilometres away at the Dawson City checkpoint, the race's halfway point.

Among the rookies to come from abroad this year, Jamaican musher Newton Marshall was in 16th place Monday, while Yuka Honda of Japan was in 20th place. Mark Sleightholme of England, first to leave the starting line Saturday, was in 22nd place.

Most Yukon Quest teams will take about two weeks to reach Fairbanks. Over the course of the race, mushers and their dogs will race over mountains and across rivers and jumble ice while competing for a share of the $150,000 US prize purse.

The winner of the Quest receives at least $30,000 US. The amount increases if some mushers decide to withdraw before reaching the end of the trail.

Mushers also preparing for Iditarod

Soon after the Quest ends, Palfrey and some other mushers will get ready for the 1,850-kilometre Iditarod, which begins March 7 in Alaska.

"We're not only getting ready and doing final preparations for the Quest, but we're also trying to finish up all our logistical things for our Iditarod race, which is going to be happening in a few weeks. So it's been busy," Palfrey told CBC News in an interview Friday.

There is a special reason why Palfrey, a veteran musher, is making his Yukon Quest debut this year: his great-uncle and great-grandfather, both Klondike pioneers, travelled to the territory at the turn of the 20th century.

Prior to moving north, Palfrey's great-uncle, Tom Hourie, had worked as a Mtis scout during Louis Riel's rebellion. In tribute, Palfrey is carrying a Mtis flag and two sashes during the race.

Mushers have reported good trail conditions so far.

Vets recommend antacids for dogs

But even in good conditions, sled dogs can suffer from some serious physicalconditions including stomach ulcers from running long distances.

So this year, Yukon Quest veterinarians are encouraging mushers to give their dogs antacids to help avoid ulcers.

"The whole goal of this particular race is all about the dogs, trying to keep the dogs as healthy as possible," Bernadine Cruz, a race veterinarian, told CBC News.

"So if we can do anything preventative to keep them healthy, it's great. It's a medication that's easy to give, usually [we] just give it once a day.

Musher Jon Little said his dogs took part in a medical study earlier this year, to test two antacid drugs that are usually given to humans.

"It was a 300-mile study. We ran four 75-mile legs and some research veterinarians were testing Prilosec versus Pepcid," he said.

Prilosec came out as the winner, and Little said that's what he will be giving his dogs during the Yukon Quest.

"It's an important issue. It's probably the leading cause of dog deaths in ... distance sled-dog racing," said Little.