Jamin

A French import, the highly-publicized, artichoke-eating Jamin, captured the inaugural edition in ’59 before 48,000 spectators. The late, legendary publicists Joey Goldstein and Lew “Tootie” Barasch gained monstrous press and fan attention in a national search during an artichoke-shortage to feed the thistle vegetable-craving Jamin. The huge crowd witnessed Jamin’s victory, and watched driver Jean Riaud feed him artichokes in the winner’s circle after the race.

The inaugural was raced at a mile and a half, and all subsequent editions at a mile and one-quarter.New Paragraph

Hairos II

A Roosevelt record throng of 54,861 watched 9-year-old, French-bred ‎Hairos II, representing the Netherlands and driven by 260-pound Willem Geerson, win the first renewal the following year. Jamin was unable to defend his crown. Crevalcore of Italy was second and the 9-5 American favorite Silver Song was third.New Paragraph

Su Mac Lad

Again in 1961, the champ was not able to make a defense of the title when Hairos II bowed a tendon. ‎Su Mac Lad of the USA took his first of two Internationals, with Stanley Dancer in the sulky. The lightly-regarded Canadian horse Tie Silk, who was third to Su Mac Lad in ’61, upset the defending champ in 1962. The $2.7 million betting handle set a world record for a harness program before 53,279, just one thousand short of the record crowd.‎

Ideal du Gazeau

The powerful, French flag-carrier ‎Ideal du Gazeau, with his white blaze and an amazing burst of speed, was the only three-time International champion under the reins of Eugene Lefevre. Holding his head high in a unique and exciting trotting style, Ideal du Gazeau pulled off the Pat Riley-esque “Three-peat” consecutively in 1981, ’82 and ’83, after finishing second to the American mare Classical Way (John Simpson, Jr.) in his debut in 1980. Paragraph

Delmonica Hanover

Legendary U.S.A. standard-bearers, the gelding ‎Su Mac Lad (1961 and ’63/Stanley Dancer) and the mare Delmonica Hanover (1973-74/Delvin Miller), and the French champions Roquepine (1967-68) and Une de Mai (1969 and ’71), both mares from France driven by JeanRene Geugone, were the quartet of two-time International titlists during the late sixties and early seventies.
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Une de Mai

Mares won the International in seven years straight from 1969 to ’73; Fresh Yankee was the 1970 tigress with Joe O’Brien in the sulky.
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Lutin d’Isigny

Lutin d’Isigny ‎continued the French dominance in the eighties, winning two straight following Ideal du Gazeau’s three in a row, to become the sixth multiple International champion, and give French flag-carriers a record five consecutive Internationals.
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Doublemint

The United States won four in a row from 1972 through 1975 when ‎Speedy Crown (1972) and Savoir (1975) sandwiched Delmonica Hanover’s pair. USA also won three in a row from 1978-80, when the aforementioned Classical Way, followed by Cold Comfort and Doublemint, both driven by the late, rising star Peter Haughton, who was just 24-years-old at the time, were the American champs.
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Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers Raceway ‎President and CEO Timothy J. Rooney brought the International to his historic half-mile oval in Westchester as host site in 1988 with the closing of Roosevelt; and brought Lew Barasch with it to spearhead the effort. That edition was captured by the great American trotter Mack Lobell.

Sweden’s ‎His Majesty captured the 1995 edition at Yonkers Raceway, the last time the race would be held in 20 years. 

The International Trot returned after a 20-year absence in 2015, and carried a $1 million purse for the first time. The Norwegian contender Papagayo E upset the field of 10 to give the country its first win in the event.