You know, it's kind of funny, I went back and read this thread again. The GOAT or top-ten greatest types of discussions always leads to generational and weighing factor arguments. I remember 10-15 years ago in one of these discussions, best aged trotter of all time, so many of the Canadians, and many (younger) writers, jumped up and said San Pail, especially the young guys. Sure, a few said Peace Corps, Mack Lobell, Moni Maker, etc. Taking nothing away from San Pail, he was truly a great trotter, without question, he raced at the top of the game, for many years, won three Maple Leaf Trots, and so on. He was managed exceptionally! Absolutely great horse.
However, I just find it interesting how the younger people concentrate on who they've seen, the most recent, etc. The older crowd has a much larger body of experience to look at. So, I kind of thought, San Pail? OK, he might be the greatest aged trotter in North America.....IN THIS GENERATION, or in this time period, perhaps even ever. I can see that argument. But how do you compare that to four Prix d'Ameriques, the Elitlopp (two?), and for the most part dominating world trotting and showing up to dances time and time a time again. The horse's name is Ourasi.
How do you compare that to Mack Lobell's entire career, 2yo, 3yo, 4yo, and 5 and 6yo, three BC's, the Hambo, the Triple Crown, two Elitlopp's, the International Trot, and more! Moni Maker, who won the Prix d'Amerique, Elitlopp, and countless other world classic events. What about Peace Corps? She won four Breeders Crowns and also won countless world classic events. I remember seeing Une de Mai at Roosevelt in 1973, and tapes of some of the world classic events she won. I also remember seeing Ideal du Gazeau win the International Trot for the 3rd time in 1983. But when Ourasi came to the US, and I saw that beast, now that was the scariest trotter I ever saw, LOL. And then I saw Varenne...
Varenne won something like 62 or 63 races----at about a dozen different distances between a mile and 1 3/4, was six or seven times 2nd, a few times 3rd, out of something like 72 or 73 starts. I followed him very closely when he came here because there was talk about a stallion deal and I was contemplating buying a share. Anyway, more than 50 of his wins were GP races, Grand Prix 1st grade stakes races. World Classic races! He set something like 14 track records and 7 world records. He earned almost $9mm and won the most prestigious races of all time, in the world. He won the two most prestigious, and most important, and most difficult, races in the world----the Prix d'Amérique-----twice, beating fields of 17 or 18 horses. And I am sure many of you saw him when he finally got here in 2001. He came to the Big M for Breeders Crown. He was coming off a sweep of the three greatest races in Europe, being the first horse to win all three in 34 years ad he was racing against the best of the best at that time. It's the BC! LOL. He leaves, is parked past the 1/4, clears down the backside, and here comes John Campbell on Dream Vacation charging up with no intention of anything but the lead. So what does Minnucci do? No, rather than sit, take a breather, wait.....he pulls and goes and sits first over and then goes back at Dream Vacation.....and then in the stretch he walks away from the field like a stroll in the park, LOL. He won by about five in 51 and 1, breaking the world record.
OK, nice walk down memory lane......so San Pail? My point, with such long, established, accomplished careers, accolades from around the world, world wide classic events, multiple times winning world classic events, 50, 60, 80, 100 races, over 4, 5, and 6 years, even longer.....San Pail? Oh, I forgot, the topic horse was Karl.
