KEY POINTS:
ADELAIDE - Blacks A Fake is finished beating up on New Zealand's best pacers - for now.
The magnificent Queensland pacer defended his Interdominion title at Globe Derby Park on Saturday night, downing Kiwi stars Winforu, Foreal and Tribute in the A$500,000 ($566,000) final.
A perfect drive from trainer Natalie Rasmussen saw Blacks A Fake able to control the pace from the parked out position a lap from home after she dodged the early fireworks.
The 6-year-old was then simply too strong for pacemaker Winforu, with Foreal and Tribute both having had hard luck stories in the next spots.
The win continued Blacks A Fake's domination over New Zealand's best, having beaten them in two Interdominions, a Victoria Cup, Treuer Memorial and even beat the Kiwis home when second in this season's Miracle Mile.
But Rasmussen says the New Zealand pacers can have the rest of this season off from chasing her pride and joy.
"That is more or less us done for the season," she said after the win.
He will have a decent break now and while he may come back for the Queensland races in the winter he will miss most of the big ones.
"I think you can ask too much of the top horses because racing at this level is so tough so I'd rather give him a break now and get ready for next season."
Next season should follow much the same path as this one, with Blacks A Fake being set for features such as the Miracle Mile and Victoria Cup.
But one race understandably stands above the others for Rasmussen.
"The Interdominions are the one. I'd love to see his name up there as a three-time winner because only one other horse has done that."
Victory in another Interdominion, or even a few Grand Circuit races next season, will make Blacks A Fake the richest pacer ever bred in Australasia.
After Saturday's win he has earned A$1,897,571 in 29 wins from 39 starts.
Most of those wins have been demonstrations of brute strength as he simply intimidates his way to the front or the parked out position and then grinds the sprint out of his rivals.
With his long stride and low head carry he doesn't have the wow factor of an Elsu or Christian Cullen but he is simply a win machine, especially in what is not a vintage open class era throughout Australasia.
His effortless gate coupled with his strength suggest he has at least two more years left in him so it would not surprise to see him pass the previously unthinkable A$2.5 million stakes mark.
By heading for a spell he has given hope to the New Zealand pacers who so gamely chased him home on Saturday night.
Winforu's trainer Geoff Small was thrilled with the stallion's second after setting the solid pace.
Just a month ago the 6-year-old's career appeared to be at a crossroads but he is now one of the most competitive pacers in Australasia and has a realistic chance in both the Hunter and Auckland Cups.
Foreal will head to both those races too after showing toughness to work hard early and still make ground on the leaders in the home straight.
Her stablemate Tribute may have been even unluckier as he was three wide for the last 1000m and still ground his way into fourth.
"It was a great run and if Blacks A Fake had been kept three wide at the bell then I think we could have won," said catch-driver Tony Herlihy.
Tribute heads to the Hunter Cup, for which he will be close to favourite when new markets are released.
"We might look at the three big races in Perth in March with him, especially if Blacks A Fake isn't going," said trainer Tim Butt.
The two disappointments of the race were the heavily backed Australian pacers Be Good Johnny and Robin Hood.
Be Good Johnny battled into fifth after working early but was still entitled to hold on for third as Foreal had worked harder than he did.
And Robin Hood was disgraceful by his very high standards, never looking interested and tailing the field home.
"There must be something wrong with him because he never goes that bad," said driver Gavin Lang.
A veterinary exam showed no signs of a problem, putting Robin Hood's Hunter Cup chances under the microscope.
That race, at Moonee Valley on February 11, looks New Zealand's best chance of a major Australian pacing win this season.
Blackout
Blacks A Fake defends his Interdominion pacing title.
He downed three Kiwi pacers in the A$500,000 final.
He is unlikely to race in the big races again this season.
His main aim will be to win a third Interdominion next season.
