Perfect Bull possible for Oklahoma Derby

Perfect Bull, who has won route stakes in two of his last three starts, is being considered for the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Oct. 11, trainer Bernell Rhone said. The horse won the $60,000 Minnesota-bred Derby and the $50,000 Minnesota Classic Championship in August before finishing second in the $75,000 Prairie Meadows Derby in his last start on Sept. 19.

"It may be a little ambitious for him, but he's a nice colt," Rhone said. "The Oklahoma Derby is going to get some starch, I would think. But he's home-based here."

The other option for Perfect Bull would be the $125,000 Bryan Station at a mile on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 18, Rhone said. The horse is a multiple allowance winner on the grass. Perfect Bull is a son of Holy Bull and he races for Red Dog Stables.

Rhone, a high school teacher turned trainer, won the 1,000th race of his career Sept. 27 at Remington, with Cooltime. His first career winner came back in 1977 at Marquis Downs. At the time, Rhone was a high school counselor who spent his summers racing at small meets in western Canada.

"I did that for several years," he said.

Rhone then turned to training full time and currently splits his year between Remington, Tampa Bay Downs, and Canterbury Park, where he was the leading trainer in 1996. Among the best horses he has trained is Dontbotherknocking, who won eight stakes and $724,127.

Rhone has a 27-horse stable at Remington. Other stakes performers for the barn include Heza Wild Guy, who was third last out in the $150,000 DeBartolo Memorial at Remington. He is being pointed to a statebred stakes in Indiana, Rhone said.