Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Natalie Rasmussen on Blacks A Fake

March 29, 2010

Weeks after winning the Inter Dominion for the fourth time with her champion pacer, Blacks A Fake, driver-trainer Natalie Rasmussen, who wears the moniker of "Miss Inter Dominion," is back at home, training and racing her stable of horses.

Along with her husband Grant, Rasmussen is a tireless worker who has developed the 9-year-old Blacks A Fake into one of the most popular pacers in Australia.

Our "Down Under" correspondent, Mark Lowe, of ABC radio, was kind enough to share with us Ms Rasmussen’s comments from an interview he procured with her soon after her 2010 Inter Dominion victory on March 7.

"It was a huge thrill—to win the Inter Dominion a fourth time," Rasmussen said. "It’s something that people in racing only dream about it. It’s something you never forget, but you can’t lose site that you’re very lucky."

When most horses are nearing retirement, it appears that Blacks A Fake has only gotten stronger. A lot of that could be due to Rasmussen’s tenacious management of the pacer.

"He really doesn’t have that many starts a year and we’ve kind of spaced them out," she admitted. "Coming into the Inter Dominion this year, I was very confident. He seemed very well and was right on target with everything. His blood was good, and I was thinking no matter where he sat in the race he’d still run a really good race."

Blacks A Fake is one of the winningest pacers to ever hail from Australiasia, with a total of 61 triumphs in 82 starts.

"He has a great record," Rasmussen noted. "There’s only been one other horse to race in five Inter Dominions in Australiasia."

Prior to his 2010 victory, Blacks A Fake had three Inter Dominion victories to his credit, tying him with Our Sir Vancelot (1997, 1998, 1999). Now, he’s the standout champion, and the big question asked by many is, will he try for a fifth Inter Dominion in 2011?

"In 2011 in Christchurch we’ll have to see how the old man is going by then," Rasmussen notes. "We’ll have to take things week by week for now. I don’t make too many plans for his future, I just race him when he’s well and won’t when he’s not. He’ll have a couple of weeks off now, a few quiet weeks at home, and then we’ll maybe look at some races for him here in Brisbane in late July."

Ever humble, Rasmussen stresses that Blacks A Fake’s success comes via a team effort.

"People don’t realize how much Grant puts into the horse too," she said. "We plan Blacks A Fake’s program together, and plan all of his work together. Grant is a very quiet person who doesn’t ask for a lot of accolades. He had to drive the horse once when I was suspended, and afterward he said that trainer was a bit harder to handle than the horse!"

Blacks A Fake captured the 2010 Inter Dominion in a record time of 1:53.8 for the 2,300 test.

"I’ve never tried to break records with him, I’ve tried to keep things as slow as possible with him," Rasmussen stressed. "I’ve never tried to go out and actually go a fast mile with him because I think you’re taking off something away from a horse later in their career when you do that."

This latest Inter Dominion victory pushed Blacks A Fake career earnings to $4.1 million, making him the second richest pacer in the world, second only to U.S. sensation Gallo Blue Chip, who retired with more than $4.2 million.

"Blacks A Fake really has nothing else to prove," Rasmussen said confidently. "But it would be fun to see him in Christchurch."