by Joshua Potts, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — Owned by a Kentucky Wildcat basketball legend, named after a song by an American Idol winner, and trained by an exceptional conditioner with Hambletonian credentials, there is no shortage of star power surrounding 3-year-old Illinois-bred trotter Before He Cheats.

Balmoral Park photo

Jason Dillander drove Before He Cheats to a 1:58.2 score in the Speedy Rodney Stake.

Unraced at 2, the gelding by Valley Victor has four wins and two seconds out of seven starts this season. His most recent victory came on Easter Sunday night at Balmoral Park in the Speedy Rodney Stake. Going off as the 7-10 favorite, driver Jason Dillander steered Before He Cheats to a 2-1/2 length victory over Fox Valley Impulse, equaling his lifetime mark of 1:58.2. He rewarded his backers with a chalky $3.40 to win, $2.20 to place, and $2.10 to show.

Trainer Dirk Simpson likes what he sees in the lightly raced sophomore.

“We’re very pleased with him so far. He’s easy on himself. He’s quiet in the barn and in the paddock.”

The cautiously optimistic trainer has an eye for trotters. Simpson conditioned the morning line favorite of the 2000 Hambletonian, Dreamaster, who ultimately finished fifth in harness racing’s most prestigious race.

Simpson went on to outline what’s in store for Before He Cheats over the next few months.

“He’s eligible for all of the Illinois stakes events. He’ll be in a stake at the end of the month, then The Cardinal. If everything goes well, he’ll be in The Galt at Maywood in the fall.”

Before He Cheats was owned and bred by Earl York, who also owned his dam, the Pride N Pleasure mare Nina Yorktown. After York passed away, Nina Yorktown and four foals were sold in an estate sale. It was at this estate sale that Simpson and his partner, Russ Beeman, purchased the trotter. Beeman’s daughter, Melissa Goodman, was the one who came up with the idea of naming the horse Before He Cheats, after the Carrie Underwood song.

Simpson then called former Kentucky Wildcat basketball star, and owner of about 100 racehorses over the years, Sam Bowie, and told him about the young trotter.

“I had seen Before He Cheats on simulcast, but never in person. Jason Dillander told me about him and Dirk gave me the history on him,” remarked Bowie. “I just liked the way he traveled.”

Bowie ultimately purchased Before He Cheats and retained Simpson as the horse’s trainer.

Sam Bowie knows a thing or two about success. His number 31 hangs from the rafters at Rupp Arena, a college basketball landmark. He still holds the career record at Kentucky for blocked shots per game, swatting 218 in 96 games, good for 2.27 per game. He is tied for the most blocked shots in a single game for a Wildcat, rejecting nine Vanderbilt shot attempts in a game back in 1981.

“I never put a lot of stock in those individual statistics. I always felt like those things came about because of my teammates and the coaching staff,” said the modest Bowie.

He has that same modesty and team-focus when it comes to harness racing as well.

“I can’t say enough about the job that Dirk has done with Before He Cheats. Dirk is the reason everything is going so well with him.”

When asked what is more exciting between winning a basketball game and winning a horse race as an owner, Bowie didn’t hesitate.

“There is no better feeling than winning a horse race as an owner. When they come down the stretch, it doesn’t matter how much money they’re racing for, there is nothing more exciting.”

Like Simpson, Bowie is optimistic about the future of Before He Cheats.

“The horse likes what he’s doing, and is as sound as can be. We are very excited about him.”

With a start like this, what’s not to be excited about?