International Trot

The International Trot was a harness racing event held in the New York City area that aimed to appeal to a mix of United States and international entrants. The inaugural event was held at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York in 1959, and was held at the track until its closure in 1988. Thereafter, the race moved to Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York. The initial running was held at a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 km), with subsequent races held at a distance of 1.25 miles (2.01 km).

In advance of its third running in 1961, The New York Times described that "There are many harness racing stakes that are older and quite a few that are richer, but there is none, that for glamour, pageantry, excitement and wild wagering matches the Roosevelt International Trot."[1]

Contents

Race history

1959

In 1959, a trotter from France named Jamin was scheduled to run in the inaugural International Trot at Roosevelt Raceway. The track's publicist, Joe Goldstein spread the word that the horse's chances were affected by the loss of over 150 pounds of artichokes that had been impounded, and then misplaced, by the United States Department of Agriculture at Idlewild Airport. Goldstein placed ads in The New York Times and New York Herald Tribune that read "French Trotter Needs Artichokes. Can You Help?", including a phone number of Roosevelt Raceway. Newspapers gave the story extensive play, with locals bring their backyard-grown artichokes to the track and United Airlines flying artichokes in from Watsonville, California, the artichoke capital of America. The horse was energized after eating the artichokes, or so Goldstein said, and went on to win the race in front of a crowd of 45,000.[2] Jamin held on to win in front of a crowd of 48,000 spectators, with the Italian horse Tornese in second by half a length and betting favorite Trader Horn, an American entry, in third, 2¼ lengths out of second. Jamin ran the mile-and-a-half in 3:08.6.[3]

1960

Both first-time champion Jamin and Ruder Konge of Denmark dropped out of the 1960 race.[4] The 9-year old Hairos II, driven by Willem Geersen, went on to win the mile-and-a-quarter second running in a field of seven in a time of 2:34, defeating the Italian horse Crevalcore by a half-length, with the American entry Silver Song, a 9-5 favorite, in third by a half-length behind Crevalcore. The crowd of 54,861 set a record, breaking the prior mark of 50,337 set at the track in August 1957.

1961

Hairos II was unable to defend his title in the 1961 race, after suffering a bowed tendon during a win in a race in The Hague.[5] At the 1961 International Trot, a French horse named Kracovie that had won that year's European circuit was missing a stablemate, either a mountain sheep or a goat, that could not be brought into the United States due to quarantine regulations, and would not eat in the absence of its companion.[6] As described by George Vecsey in the Times, "The entertainer Tina Louise just happened to have a goat in her Manhattan apartment. Wearing a low-cut dress, she and her agent and the goat paid a mission of mercy to Roosevelt."[2] Despite the publicity, and the goat, Kracovie lost the race to Su Mac Lad, with Tie Silk in third. Su Mac Lad, driven by Stanley Dancer, finished in a time of 2:34.4 in driving rain and a sloppy track in front of 28,105 racing fans.[7]

1962

The lightly regarded Canadian horse Tie Silk, who had finished in third the previous year and sixth the year before, won the $50,000 race in front of a crowd of 53,279. Six-year old Tie Silk, driven by Keith Waples, won in a time of 2:34.2, with favorite and returning winner Su Mac Lad in second and world record holder Porterhouse in third. The betting handle of $2,793,596 set a world record for a harness racing program, breaking the prior record set at the second running of the International Trot.[8]

1963

Su Mac Lad, who had won in 1961 but dropped to second in 1962, returned to win the 1963 running in a seven-horse field, before a crowd of 41,197 of what The New York Times called "screaming harness racing buffs". The Dutch horse Martini II came in second, with returning champion Tie Silk in third. Driven by Stanley Dancer, Su Mac Lad paid bettors $2.90 to win in tying a world record at the 1¼-mile distance with a time of 2:32.6. The 9-to-20 favorite came in a half-length ahead of Martini II who in turn beat Tie Silk by 7.5 lengths. The $25,000 Su Mac Lad took home brought his career winnings to $687,549, the most of any pacer or trotter as of that date.[9]

1989

After the demise of Roosevelt Raceway in 1988, the race was relocated to Yonkers Raceway.[10]

Past winners

Winners of the race include the following:[11]

Year Horse Driver Country $2 on Winner Winning time
1959 Jamin Jean Riaud  France $11.70 3:08.6[3]
1960 Hairos II Willem Geersen  Netherlands $11.90 2:34.0[12]
1961 Su Mac Lad Stanley Dancer  United States 2:34.4[7]
Year Nation First Nation Second Nation Third
1959  France Jamin  Italy Tornese  United States Trader Horn
1960  Netherlands Hairos II  Italy Crevalcore  United States Silver Song
1961  United States Su Mac Lad  France Kracovie  Canada Tie Silk
1962  Canada Tie Silk  United States Su Mac Lad  United States Porterhouse
1963  United States Su Mac Lad  Netherlands Martini II  United States Tie Silk
1964  United States Speedy Scot  United States Su Mac Lad  France Pick Wick
1965  France Pluvier III  Italy Steno  France Quioco
1966  United States Armbro Flight  France Roquepine  United States Noble Victory
1967  France Roquepine  United States Fresh Yankee  United States Governor Armbro
1968  France Roquepine  Sweden Kentucky Fibber  United States Fresh Yankee
1969  France Une de Mai  United States Nevele Pride  United States Fresh Yankee
1970  United States Fresh Yankee  France Tidalium Pelo
1971  France Une de Mai  United States Fresh Yankee  United States Dart Hanover
1972  United States Speedy Crown  France Une de Mai  United States Fresh Yankee
1973  United States Delmonica Hanover
1974  United States Delmonica Hanover  Italy Dosson
1975  United States Savoir  France Bellino II  United States Surge Hanover
1976  France Equileo  France Bellino II  United States Meadow Bright
1977  Italy Delfo  France Bellino II
1978  United States Cold Comfort  New Zealand Petite Evander  France Hadol du Vivier
1979  United States Doublemint  Sweden Express Gaxe  Sweden Charme Asserdal
1980  United States Classical Way  France Ideal du Gazeau  New Zealand Petite Evander
1981  France Ideal du Gazeau  France Jorky  Sweden Pamir Brodde
1982  France Ideal du Gazeau  Italy Zebu  Sweden Nino Blazing
1983  France Ideal du Gazeau  Sweden Legolas  France Ianthin
1984  France Lutin d'Isigny  Sweden The Onion  United States Crown Wood
1985  France Lutin d'Isigny  United States Sandy Bowl  France Ogorek
1986  Denmark Habib  United States Robins Wonder  Sweden Mack the Knife
1987  Sweden Callit  France Potin d'Amour  United States Tabor Lobell
1988  United States Mack Lobell  United States A.J.'s Speed  United States Go Get Lost
1989  United States Kit Lobell  Denmark Indus  United States Mack Lobell
1990  France Reve d'Udon  United States No Sex Please  United States Meadow Roland
1991  United States Peace Corps  France Reve d'Udon  United States Florida Jewel
1992  Sweden Atas Fighter L.  United States Night Court Dan  France Ursulo de Crouay
1993  United States Giant Force  United States Meadow Prophet  United States Sea Cove
1995  Sweden His Majesty  United States S.J.'s Photo  United States Panifesto

References

  1. ^ Louis Effrat. "The Big Trot: Quality, Not Quantity; Rich International Is Long on Glamour, Prestige, Betting", The New York Times, July 9, 1961. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Goldstein, Richard. "Joe Goldstein, Dogged New York Sports Promoter, Dies at 81", The New York Times, February 15, 2009. Accessed February 15, 2009.
  3. ^ a b Strauss, Michael. "Favored Trader Horn Third; JAMIN TRIUMPHS BY A HALF-LENGTH", The New York Times, August 2, 1959. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  4. ^ Tuckner, Howard M. "JAMIN DROPS OUT OF INTERNATIONAL; French Trotter Is Injured -- Denmark's Ruder Konge Also Withdrawn", The New York Times, August 8, 1960. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  5. ^ Louis Effrat. "Hairos II Withdrawn From $50,000 International Trot; CHAMPION VICTIM OF BOWED TENDON Hairos II Unable to Defend on July 14 -- Adios Butler 3-5 Pace Choice Tonight", The New York Times, June 30, 1961. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  6. ^ Daley, Robert. "French Trotter Here Sans Brigitte; Kracovie Pal Barred From U.S. as Goat in Sheepish Cloak", The New York Times, June 29, 1961. Accessed February 15, 2009.
  7. ^ a b Louis Effrat. "KRACOVIE SECOND IN $50,000 TROT; Su Mac Lad of U.S. Victor in International Race -- Tie Silk Takes Third SU MAC LAD WINS BY NOSE IN TROT", The New York Times, July 16, 1961. Accessed February 15, 2009.
  8. ^ Louis Effrat. "53,279 See Su Mac Lad Place 2d in International; TIE SILK TRIUMPHS IN INTERNATIONAL", The New York Times, August 19, 1962. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  9. ^ Louis Effrat. "SU MAC LAD, 9-20, TRIUMPHS IN TROT; Takes $50,000 International and Ties World Record-- Martini II Runner-Up Dutch Horse Last Su Mac Lad Takes International Trot", The New York Times, July 21, 1963. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  10. ^ Razzano, Tiffany. "Lewis "Tootie" Barasch, former publicist of the Roosevelt Raceway and international racehorse consultant, died of congestive heart failure on June 25. He was 90.", Nassau Herald, July 13, 2006. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  11. ^ International Trot, blodbanken.nu. Accessed February 17, 2009.
  12. ^ Tuckner, Howard M. "CREVALCORE NEXT; Record 54,861 Watch Hairos II Triumph in International HAIROS II SCORES IN INTERNATIONAL", The New York Times, August 21, 1960. Accessed February 17, 2009.