Robertson, Rhone in tight battle for leading trainer

With the Canterbury Park meet drawing to a close Sunday, the training title is a match race between Mac Robertson and Bernell Rhone. Robertson has 42 wins, two more than Rhone.

The two have taken different paths to the head of the class with Robertson starting 73 fewer horses. Rhone has done well with some longshots and has a $2.07 return on investment. Robertson started fewer horses this year than in previous years because he split his stable between Canterbury and Delaware Park.

Dean Butler leads the Thoroughbred jockey standings with 67 wins, 17 ahead of Ry Eikleberry.

“We got some good outfits to ride for,” said Butler’s agent, Pete Antonucci. “He’s been doing everything right. He’s breaking sharp.”

Butler has posted a very nice $2.09 return on investment this meet.

“He’s won on some big price horses,” Antonucci said “I try not to put him on too many of them. Things were just going right.”

Butler will head to Remington Park after the meet concludes.

Al and Bill Ulwelling will finish as the leading owners. They have 20 wins, 10 more than Miguel Silva.

On the Quarter Horse side, Eiklebery is three wins ahead of Thomas Wellington in the rider standings with 17. Eikleberry has a decisive advantage in the earnings column with $138,188, $50,000 more than Wellington.

Trainer Ed Ross Hardy has had another great meet at Canterbury, with 26 wins from 93 starts and $201,522 in earnings. Robert and Julie Petersen lead all Quarter Horse owners with 8 wins from 21 starts, five wins ahead of Regina Laymon’s J K Running Horses.