Saturday, September 7, 2024

FIRST RACE POST TIME: 12:15 PM

YONKERS INTERNATIONAL TROT POST TIME: 3 PM


Saturday, September 7, 2024

FIRST RACE POST TIME: 12:15 PM    |    YONKERS INTERNATIONAL TROT POST TIME: 3 PM

History

The Rich History of the International Trot  | By John Cirillo

Harness racing was at its pinnacle in the late 1950’s when the Roosevelt International Trot was inaugurated in 1959 with tremendous, worldwide fanfare at now defunct Roosevelt Raceway, which at the time had undergone a $19 million facelift two years prior, and was considered the sports’ premier venue.

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.


Year Winner Country Video
2017 Twister Bi Video
2016 Resolve Video
2015 Papagayo E Video
1995 His Majesty Video
1993 Giant Force Video
1992 Atas Fighter L. Video
1991 Peace Corps Video
1990 Reve d'Udon Video
1989 Kit Lobell Video
1988 Mack Lobell Video
1987 Callit Video
1986 Habib Video
1985 Lutin d'Isigny Video
1984 Lutin d'Isigny Video
1983 Ideal du Gazeau Video
1982 Ideal du Gazeau Video
1981 Ideal du Gazeau Video
1980 Classical Way Video
1979 Doublemint Video
1978 Cold Comfort Video
1977 Delfo Video
1976 Equileo Video
1975 Savior Video
1974 Delmonica Hanover Video
1973 Delmonica Hanover Video
1972 Super Bowl Video
1971 Une de Mai Video
1970 Fresh Yankee Video
1969 Une de Mai Video
1968 Roquepine
1967 Roquepine
1966 Armbro Flight Video
1965 Pluvier III Video
1964 Speedy Scot Video
1963 Su Mac Lad Video
1962 Tie Silk Video
1961 Su Mac Lad Video
1960 Hairos II Video
1959 Jamin Video
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