. ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁all ▁great ▁fun ▁and , ▁though ▁going ▁home ▁and ▁not ▁seeing ▁the ▁big ▁race ▁finish , ▁most ▁spect ators ▁had ▁a ▁wonderful ▁time ▁and ▁would ▁be ▁back ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁Next ▁morning , ▁the ▁four ▁str and ed ▁teams ▁at ▁the ▁fish ▁h atch ery ▁rac ed ▁down ▁the ▁W arm ▁River ▁grade , ▁into ▁the ▁valley , ▁and ▁ran ▁the ▁final ▁few ▁miles ▁into ▁As ht on . ▁ ▁T ud ▁Kent , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁original ▁organiz ers , ▁racing ▁for ▁Harr iman ’ s ▁Rail road ▁R anch , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Dog ▁Derby , ▁winning ▁by ▁over ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes . ▁ ▁He ▁did ▁this ▁while ▁breaking ▁trail ▁and ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁five ▁more ▁Dog ▁Der b ies ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁six . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁more ▁wins ▁than ▁any ▁other ▁m ush er . ▁ ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁promoted ▁and ▁held ▁again ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁but ▁in ▁a ▁figure - e ight ▁course ▁in ▁the ▁valley ▁around ▁As ht on ▁where ▁ 4 0 ▁in ch ▁snow falls ▁are ▁less ▁common . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁the ▁American ▁Dog ▁Derby ▁attract ed ▁crow ds ▁estimated ▁at ▁ 1 0 ▁to ▁ 1 5 ▁thousand ▁and ▁had ▁officially ▁disp la ced ▁the ▁All - Al aska ▁S we ep st akes ▁as ▁the ▁American ▁Championship ▁race . ▁ ▁In ▁fact , ▁the ▁All - Al aska ▁S