San Pail is for sure the best aged trotter ever seen in Canada.
If we speak about the world's best trotter ever things change, and one should consider other parameters, first of all the constancy of the performances, in one word the percentage of major races won at the top level in an international environment.
In USA a major race like that is "Breeders Crown", In Canada "Trot Mondial"
In Europe there are a few major races like that: "Elitloppet" & "Gran Prix d'Amerique".
Thus there's no doubt, one name before all the others: VARENNE !
A similar question have been made to Stig H Johanssons, probably one of the best and most experienced driver ever.
In the following link his answer:

http://www.atgplay.se/video/20140612-nr1stighstiobastaelitlopp

Best aged trotter you've seen is the best you've seen. Anything goes. For me, it would be Silver King, the trotter that Jay Silverheels drove to his first parimutuel victory at Vernon Downs, I guess in August 1974. What a great memory, as they crossed the finish line, with the William Tell Overture coming thru the loudspeakers. They never did that for anyone else.

Of all time, for me it would have to be Goldsmith Maid (1857-1885) if performance over time is the deciding criteria. Taking on all comers, she set the world record for trotters at age 14, lowering it 6 times til age 17. At 20 years of age she trotted within 2 seconds of her life mark of 2:14. Over a racing career that spanned 13 years, she won 92 of 121 races (76%). In terms of performance at age, no other horse comes close to this mare.

Greatness in horses is not defined in terms of never been beaten, but rather never giving up. The horses you race and know qualify as great under those terms, regardless of whether or not they make the record books, regardless of whether or not anybody agrees with you. Their best effort doesn't always win a prize, but their best effort, given race after race, makes all horses great. It's the kind of greatness you look for in yourself as you begin each day--never giving up, doing your best, and doing it again the next day despite the odds. What we see in horses is what we want to see in ourselves. It's why we race horses.

Bridger was quite the horse, in his time.

Mack Lobell was hands down the greatest Trotter to ever look through a bridle...

There is already an official world rankings done by the best experts recently. The ranking is based on the results, the victories, the record, ect ect there is nothing emotional or patriotic:

1) Varenne ( Italy)
2) Moni Maker ( Usa)
3) Ourasi ( France)
4) Mack Lobell (Usa)
5) Greyhound ( Usa)
6) Victory Tilly ( Sweden)
7) Muscle Hill ( Usa)

"VARENNE"

Varenne won 62 races, ( 53 GPs-major races), in 11 different distances, (from 0,99 mile to 1,708 miles), 6 second, 2 third, of 73 career starts.

He has earned US$ 8,750,00 setting a record high for earnings won in the history of harness racing.

Varenne holds the record as the most widely-traveled horse in the history of horse racing, winning in 7 countries and 2 continents.

Varenne won all the most prestigious races around the world beating the strongest horses including champions like:

Moni Maker ( 3 times)

Général du Pommeau ( 4 times)

Fan Idole ( 5 times)

Victory Tilly ( 4 times)

Viking Kronos ( 1 times)

Fool's Goal (1 time)

Dream Vacation (2 time)

Plesac ( 1 time)

Magician ( 1 time)

He is the first foreign horse to have won the Horse of the Year award in the U.S and the only foreign horse to have won the Horse of the Year award in France, as well as the only horse to have won Horse of the Year in 3 different countries, all in the same year (2001).

Varenne has established numerous track records on various racetracks. He won the Prix d'Amérique twice (2001–2002), considered to be the most difficult race in world of harness racing (2700 meters / 1.708 miles - 18 starters).

He is the only horse to win the most important races in the same year (2001)

Varenne is the sole European trotter to win the Breeders Crown (2001) in the U.S.A., where he set the world speed record ( 1 mile in 1.51.1 ). Was the first time he ran the distance of 1 mile.

Another historical victory took place at the World Cup 2002 in Vincennes, where Varenne won yet again even though the wheel of the sulky was broken, setting the world speed record of 2100 metres ( unbeaten record 1.10.8 average per kilometer - track 1 kilometer).

In Finland 14 July 2002, in "Race St. Michel (Mikkeli)", Varenne has established the European speed record of 1.09.03 (unbeaten record, average per kilometer for the mile- )

In 2002 in the Elitlopp, he took it in a world record time of 1:53.1 in the elimination and then bested that mark by winning the final in 1:53 – the fastest mile ever trotted around three turns( unbeaten record)

Since 2010, the name "Varenne" and his incredible story, will live forever in the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in New York. This is the most prestigious recognition in America, typically dedicated to legendary American horses only.

In May 2011 Kanal 75, the Swedish company that broadcasts harness racing on TV4 Sport in Sweden, asked 38 international media to rank tracks, horsemen and horses, and the answer to the final question in the survey has finally been revealed. Kanal 75 asked its panel, which included The Horseman And Fair World's Kathy Parker, to name the best horse of all time, and Varenne came out on top.

Varenne’s character was always calm. Never did he did suffer from anxiety before or after a race. Not even all the caresses, flash photography, air travel, change of time zones, or invasions of the track by his fans made him nervous in any way. His vet called him an "intelligent horse with incredible patience.”

Known in Italy as "Il Capitano" (the Captain), he was the only animal in history with a press office staff. Many people worked for the iconic Varenne. Thousands of gadgets, t-shirts and hats were produced in his name. For a number of months, the Italian cities were covered with giant posters depicting Varenne and millions of Italians followed his victories on live television.

Varenne also raised money for disabled children. The proceedings of his 2002 victory at the “Premio Mario Locatelli” went entirely to charity for the Carlo Gnocchi Italian center. These proceeds helped complete the project on "Cascina Linterno" in Milan that provided a range of services for people with disabilities, including an equestrian facility for the rehabilitation of people with physical and mental disabilities, through horse therapy

SOME MAJOR WINS :

Italian Trotting Derby (ITALY 1998)

Gran Premio d'Europa (ITALY 1999)

Gran Premio Tino Triossi (ITALY 1999)

Gran Premio Continentale (ITALY 1999)

Preis der Besten (GERMANY 1999)

Gran Premio Delle Nazioni (ITALY 1999)

European 5-year-old Championship (2000)

Olympiatravet (SWEDEN 2000, 2002)

Gran Premio della Lotteria (ITALY 2000, 2001, 2002)

Gran Premio U.N.I.R.E. (ITALY 2000, 2002)

Gran Premio Giubileo (ITALY 2000)

Prix d'Amérique (FRANCE 2001, 2002)

Elitloppet (SWEDEN 2001, 2002)

Elite-Rennen (GERMANY 2001)

Breeders Crown (USA 2001)

Trot Mondial (CANADA 2001)

Gala' Internazionale del Trotto (ITALY 2001)

Grand Criterium de Vitesse (FRANCE 2002)

St. Michel Race (FINLAND 2002)

Hugo Åbergs Memorial (SWEDEN 2002)

Jubileumspokalen (SWEDEN 2002)

World Cup Trot (FRANCE 2000, 2001, 2002)

San pail is a great trotter and his connections should be very proud of his accomplishments and anyone would dearly love to own a horse like this for obvious reasons. Having said that, San pail should not even be on a list of the 10 greatest trotters of all time, he does not belong there. For anyone to say he is the greatest aged trotter of all time, it is so ridiculous i am not even sure how you should respond to those people.

In my first year as an owner trainer driver i had the privilege of seeing Une de Mai defeat arguably the best North America totters Neville Pride (Stanley Dancer), and Fresh Yankee(Joe Obrien). The big mare was parked every step of the way in The International. After the race Stanley Dancer said "That Mare is beyond belief"!!

San Pail is my all time favorite... How good was Mr.Muscelman!!!! He was a freak.
FoolS Goal was another amazing trotter. Moni Maker and Peaceful Way best mares! John Campbell says Mac Lobell was his best drive.. so that says something i'd say!

I agree San pail is a very good horse but he's no Varenne or Moneymaker in my opinion! Mini maker raced all over the world traveling forth and back and won races on all size tracks and distances against the best in the world.. To me personally I thought it was huge when she beat the best French long distance horses in the Prix d'Amerique on there track with open lengths...

I can't Believe that no on has Said, Commander Crowe! I know hes come to Canada Twice and left with seconds and Thirds to San Pail and Chapter Seven But There is very few horses that Can go the Trips that he Went and hang on for a top 3! I think hes a tough Old horse and Really nice Aged trotter! no discredit to San Pail because hes a personal Favorite Of mine, but this Is a very hard question to Answer cause there have been a lot of Aged trotters that where very good!

San Pail certainly deserves votes, but I imagine that this video was made prior to Chapter Seven's last four races, particularly the Breeders' Crown. Also, nobody, including the people who commented mentioned Varenne. Quite an oversight.

I would say Mack Lobell. I used to subscribe to Harness Horse in the 1980s and remember reading about his exploits and thinking to myself, this horse is the BEST Trotter I ever saw.

Of course Greyhound too was great, but he was before my time

Perhaps most were thinking in the recent past. Indeed San Pail is the best in the past few years.

I think he must have had an off day when beaten by Mr. Herbie. Three Maple Leaf Trots IS pretty impressive don't you think Mr Jamieson?

Bill

Wow! 80% of those questioned answered San Pail. Maybe it’s the water? San Pail only raced outside of Canada three times. His stake resume consists of three Maple Leafs, a BC, an Allerage, a Credit Winner and a Glory’s Comet. That makes him the greatest aged trotter ever?.....Did you ever hear of Su Mac Lad? …….Canada’s own Fresh Yankee earned almost $1.3 million the hard way. She won the Elitlopp, the Roosevelt International, the UN Trot, the American Classic twice and the Challenge Cup twice. She was HOY in 1970 and is a member of the Canadian HOF and is a HOF Immortal in the US.....Peace Corps won the BC three times, Elitlopp, Roosevelt International, Kentucky Futurity and the World Trotting Derby. She was HOY in Sweden twice and is a member of the Living HOF. When she won the 1991 International at Yonkers she equaled the stakes record for the mile and a quarter distance. She was also a great freshman filly, winning 15 of 19 starts and $670,000.....Ideal Du Gazeau won the Roosevelt International three times and Lutin d’Isigny won twice. He set a WR for the mile and a quarter distance on a half when he won in 1984 by seven.....Earl Laird, Dayan, Delmonica Hanover.....Give us a break.

Not discounting San Pail in any way. There is probably little doubt that he may be the greatest North American trotter of this generation and maybe ever although I doubt that. But the absolute greatest aged trotter ever - C'mon. You've got to have your heads buried in the sand. What about a horse like Ourasi who won I believe four Prix d'Ameriques and the Elitlopp and dominated world trotting, the incomparable Mack Lobell, Nevele Pride, Peace Corps who won four Breeders Crowns and innumerable world wide classic events, Fresh Yankee who won the International Trot and the Elitlopp, Moni Maker who won the Prix d'Amerique, the Elitlopp and numerous other important world wide events. Then there are others such as Roquepine and Une de Mai.

I can understand the young bucks like Scott Zeron, Jody, Scott Young and some of the others. But you old guys have to be suffering from an early onslaught of dementia. :-).