PBR Pick ‘Em Morning Line – PBR World Finals Round 2
By: Slade Long
This is the strongest pen of bulls at this event. Round 2 of the World Finals typically features the best bulls and is the biggest hurdle for riders. There aren’t a lot of high-percentage matchups in the round for riders to take advantage of. The Top 3 guys all got good scores in Round 1, but they all drew tougher here.
Daylon Swearingen on 124 Woopaa:
This should be one of the biggest matchups of the event, if not the entire season. Woopaa is obviously the most athletic bull in the game. They topped the previous PBR high score record of 96.5 points on him twice this year, and the same monster score potential is in play here. Swearingen is left-handed, and he’s known for his ability to spur bulls that go into his hand. He was 89.5 points on a 42.5-point bull during the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals last Saturday, and he can dominate bulls that go to the left. As electric as Woopaa is, he has a soft spot for lefty riders – he’s 2-8 against them. Woopaa also has bad luck in the draw, as he rarely draws right-handed guys. You won’t see anyone on the arena floor chit-chatting when Swearingen nods his head tonight because they all expect to see something special.
Jose Vitor Leme on W405 Montana Moon:
All three of the top three riders stayed on last night, but the biggest question in the world title race was answered when Leme appeared to be the same Leme we’ve seen all season. On paper, he has the highest ride probability tonight over Davis and Pacheco, but all three guys drew into similar matchups; they have lesser-known bulls who are seldom ridden. If Leme places high in just a couple of rounds here, he will pretty much clinch his second straight title.
Cooper Davis on 476 Moonlight Party:
This is one of the least-experienced bulls in the round. He comes from Outlaw Buckers in Canada and appeared at the Calgary Stampede last summer before moving to Oklahoma. He put up 45 points against Silvano Alves in Deadwood, South Dakota, in September. As Davis showed last night, he’s a tough guy to get on the ground. Riders in general tend to like Canadian bulls, and this matchup should be interesting to watch.
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Joao Ricardo Vieira on 507C Bentley:
Vieira bucked off this bull at 7.69 seconds last season, but this could be a really good draw for him. Cody Jesus was 92.5 points on Bentley earlier this year, and the bull likes the left. Viera came down in Round 1 but could rebound with a big win here.
Dener Barbosa on W600 Marquis Metal Works Red Clark:
Red Clark is 18-1 in his career, and he’s in the World Champion Bull race. He is strong and not particularly rider-friendly. Barbosa, however, is the one rider who did get by him. They met three times this season, and Barbosa took him for 91.25 points in Omaha but did not come close to staying on in the other two.
Kaique Pacheco on 623 War Dress:
Pacheco is riding well right now and gutted it out last night on a re-ride bull for 90.5 points and third in the round. War Dress has run the gauntlet of top riders this year. He’s thrown Cooper Davis off twice, and a host of others. Derek Kolbaba rode him for 89.5 points in the 15/15 Bucking Battle in Deadwood in September. Pacheco has no choice but to stay on – he has to top Leme at these Finals by a lot to have a realistic shot at the title.
Marco Eguchi on 622 High Brow Cat:
This should be a good matchup. High Brow Cat has something of an unusual career trajectory so far. He primarily went to rodeos until early this year. He was ridden several times in 2020 and in February of this year, but since coming to the PBR full-time, he is 8-0 and has a buckoff against Jose Vitor Leme. He’s overdue to give up a 90-point ride at the UTB level, and Eguchi has been known to come alive at the World Finals.
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Junior Patrik Souza on 43C- Chiseled:
Chiseled is 7-0 down the stretch since giving up 94.5 points to Cody Teel in Cheyenne in July. Like Woopaa, he performs at a world-class level but is rideable. He is a much better fit for a right-handed rider, and Souza is left-handed. Chiseled is 20-4 against lefties in his career. The critical thing to watch for here is his bull score. He’s trying to catch Woopaa in the World Champion Bull race and needs to outscore Woopaa here.
Eli Vastbinder on 644D Secret Weapon:
Vastbinder cruised to a Round 1 win on a bull that was tailor-made for him. This round will be a much bigger challenge. Secret Weapon will probably go away from his hand, and he’s tough, but righty Claudio Montanha Jr. rode him in San Antonio in October.
Mauricio Moreira on 500 I’m Legit Too:
This bull doesn’t need to keep claiming he’s legit – he’s more than proved it. This is a seasoned veteran of ABBI bull competitions who has been winning money since he was 2 years old. He is consistently one of the best bulls in any round he’s in. Every left-handed rider has an honest chance at him, and Moreira is 1-for-3 against him with 90.75 points in their most recent meeting just last month.
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