Yukoner Michelle Phillips leads on day 3 of Yukon Quest

Yukon musher Michelle Phillips was leading the pack on day threeof the Yukon Quest sled dog race.

The veteran musher overtook last year's champ Brent Sass on Sunday at Birch Creek, and stayed a few kilometres out front on Monday.

Following Sass on Monday afternoon were2018 champ Allen Moore, and fellow Alaskan Cody Strathe.

There's still a long way to go to the finish line, though the winner isn't expected in Whitehorse for aweek.

Phillips, who's based in Tagish, Yukon,is a Quest veteran who's run the race six times before. Her best finishes were last yearand 2008, when she finished fourth both times.

Phillips has also had two top-20 finishes in the Iditarod, in 2017 and 2018.

The Yukon Quest began Saturday morning in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fifteen mushers are in the 1,600-kilometre race this year.

Sass a two-time Quest champ (2019 and 2015) heldan early lead this yearuntil Phillips overtook him on Sunday.

The lead mushers left the Circle City checkpoint early on Monday. The next mandatory stopis at Eagle, where mushers have to wait at least four hours before carrying on.

Eagle is the last checkpoint before the border and then Dawson City, the halfway point and another mandatory stop.The lead mushers are expected to reach Dawson byWednesday night.