There's no such thing as a "sure thing," especially in the sports world, but four-time and reigning World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile of Decatur could be as close to that as it gets in the all-around race heading into this year's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Brazile enters this year's Wrangler NFR with an impressive $140,198 lead over Josh Peek in the all-around PRCA World Standings. It is Brazile's largest lead in the all-around standings heading into the Wrangler NFR, a wider margin than when he won all-around gold buckles from 2002-04 and last year, and his $285,412 in season earnings is the most he has had prior to the Vegas showdown.

He is in Las Vegas for the next 10 days competing in the sport's biggest event. The finals begin Thursday, Dec. 6 and concludes on Saturday, Dec. 15. All the action will be carried daily on ESPN2 either live or tape-delayed in the evenings.

Two other Wise County cowboys finished among the country's best. Clint Cooper of Decatur is headed to Nevada after finishing 13th overall in tie-down roping with $65,171. Brazile leads the event with $132,540.

Jarrett Blessing of Paradise finished ranked fifth in steer roping where he raked in $44,544. Brazile was first in the event with $88,953 and well ahead of Cash Myers of Athens at $51,213.

Not only does Brazile come into this year's event on the inside track to claim yet another all-around crown, but also with a fiery desire to also hold onto his lead in the tie-down roping standings and therefore complete the coveted Triple Crown.

Brazile, who also qualified for the Wrangler NFR in the team roping, is looking to become the first PRCA cowboy to win a Triple Crown since Roy "Super Looper" Cooper in 1983. A second consecutive steer roping world title won at the National Finals Steer Roping in early November set Brazile on the path toward history.

Now, all he has to do is finish what he started.

"It's not going to be easy," Brazile said. "Everything's just got to be so perfect, and it's hard enough to win one (world title). So, to try and win three in one year, everything's got to work just right, but I'm believing that it's going to this year.

"I'm taking no prisoners, and we'll see what happens."

A tie-down roping world title would be Brazile's first in the event, and he also enters this year's Wrangler NFR ranked 10th in the team roping heading ranks as well. If he gets "tapped off" in the team roping, an unprecedented four world titles could be his for the taking.

Also at stake is Brazile's own single-season earnings record from a year ago. He bested Matt Austin's 2005 mark of $320,766 by earning $329,924 last season and needs just $44,513 in two events at this year's Wrangler NFR to up the ante yet again.

More world titles for the 31-year-old Brazile - and there could be many in the coming years - no doubt will further his legacy and grow his legend in the sport. The record-setting world champions and ProRodeo Hall of Famers who have come before him have set the marks, and the talented timed-event cowboy is more motivated than ever to chase them down.

"The one great thing about rodeo is that you've got some great measuring sticks who have come before you," Brazile said. "So many things change in rodeo, so it's hard to compare yourself to those guys except for accomplishments. I'm just thankful for the guys who have come before me, because they're what motivates me to keep going and to try to get to where they got and even further."

Peek, of Pueblo, Colo., closed the gap a bit on Brazile at the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Championship in Dallas by earning more than $12,000 at the American Airlines Center and qualified for the Wrangler NFR in steer wrestling and tie-down roping. With Brazile also in two events - team roping and tie-down roping - Peek would need a complete collapse from Brazile, coupled with a huge 10 days in Las Vegas to unseat the reigning champion.

Peek is realistic and is more concerned about enjoying his first career Wrangler NFR than obsessing about chasing Brazile for the all-around crown.

"I've wanted to make the NFR for as long as I can think back, to when I was 7 or 8, and to compete against guys like Cody (Ohl) and Trevor, that's been one of my goals forever," Peek said. "I look up to Trevor, and being second in the world to him, that means a lot. It's been an amazing year, and if it finished right now, I'd be happier than any cowboy in the world because I've achieved some of my goals."