SAN ANTONIO -- Joe Frost may have only made two victory laps around the arena at the San Antonio Rodeo, but he has won more money than any other contestant so far.

Frost finished at the top of Bracket 2 and got a huge paycheck when he was the only rider to stay on his bull for eight seconds in the third round. That netted the Randlett, Utah, resident $5,703. He entered this week's Semifinals 1 with a big lead and added to it. Frost, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier has ridden every bull that he has attempted and is now 4 for 4 on his rides. He has total earnings of $13,567 and still has one more bull to get on in the semifinals.

I love San Antonio," Frost said. "I've come close to winning the title here before. I ride for first every time. It doesn't always work out like it is now, but I'd like to make three more victory laps.

There were three successful rides Tuesday night and Frost was at the top of the list with an 88.5-point ride on 4L and Diamond S Rodeo's Foolish and Cruel. He earned $4,633 for the effort.

Frost will have his second bull in Semifinals 1 on Wednesday night. The top five money winners will advance to Saturday night's finals and he has enough money won to be assured a spot. He also has a spot at the $100,000 Xtreme Bulls competition on Saturday afternoon.

A contestant who is getting used to making victory laps is barrel racer Amberleigh Moore from Keizer, Oregon. Riding her Quarter Horse mare, CP Dark Moon that she calls Paige, she won all three rounds in Bracket 3 and captured the first round of the semifinals as well. Moore has $11,120 so far and has also secured a spot in the finals.

World champion bareback rider Tim O'Connell is continuing his path to a second championship in San Antonio. He won the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver and the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo. He won two rounds in Bracket 1, placed second in another to advance to the semifinals. He finished in first again Tuesday night with an 87-point ride on Bar T Rodeos Twice Shy to win $4,277. O'Connell is the third person to have already earned over $10,000.

Last year's tie-down roping champion is on pace for a repeat title in the AT&T Center. Hunter Herrin, from Apache, Oklahoma, stopped the clock in 6.9 seconds to win $4,277. He now has command of the leaderboard with $8,269.

Wednesday night's rodeo will be the second round in Semifinals 1. Contestants will be counting the money they won here hoping to be one of the top five that get to compete at Saturday night's finals.

By Susan Kanode