Last year's winner was Brent Sass (right). He is back to defend his title, also returning 11 of his 14 dogs from last year. For the first time since 2019, the competitors will use the Southern Route. The winner that year, Peter Kaiser (left), finished in 9 days, 12 hours, 39 minutes, and 6 seconds. Kaiser, too, returns this year.

The largest field was in 2008, when 96 mushers contested the race. The first race, in 1973, featured 34 mushers. Race officials say that the average since then has been 63. Accounting for some of the shortfall are absences from some of the iconic race's mainstays. Four-time winner Lance Mackey died in 2022. Two year other four-time champions, Martin Buser and Jeff King, are on hiatus. Also sitting out this year are five-time winner and race record-holder Dallas Seavey and three-time winner Mitch Seavey.