Gray wishes rodeo rival well from hospital bed

LAS VEGAS — Steven Dent won the third round of bareback riding Saturday night in the National Finals Rodeo, scoring 85 points on Big Lights to take the lead in the world standings and event aggregate. Dent, from Mullen, Neb., moved ahead of Ryan Gray of Cheney in the world standings. Gray’s season ended Friday night when he sustained a liver laceration when he was stepped on by Golden Dream. “He (Gray) is going to be all right, and we’re all wishing him the best,” said Dent, who has earned $162,115 this season. “There’s not a better guy in rodeo, so I’m glad to see he’s going to be all right. It’s tough to see anybody get hurt, especially this time of year and in the position he was in. “Last night, I asked him if there was anything I could do for him, and he said, ’Go win a gold buckle.’ That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s a good person, and you hate to see him go down like that.” Gray is expected to remain in the hospital for a few more days. Colbert’s Tyson Durfey finished out of the money for the third straight night and fell to 11th in the world standings.