Northfield Park in Northfield, OH - Horse Racing Tracks on Waymarking.com

Originally constructed in 1934, the track, then known as Sportsman Park, was intended as a greyhound track. When this plan failed, ownership changed and the focus was switched to midget car racing. After 20 years as a successful car racing facility, interest began to wane and in 1956, Sportsman Park was demolished to make way for what would eventually become one of the nation's premier harness racing tracks, Northfield Park.

The opening night card, on Friday, August 23, 1957 offered nine races with the first race a class D trot won by Bunter’s Boy in 2:12, driven by Bill Popfinger.

While Northfield Park is the only remaining commercial harness track in Northeast Ohio, originally it was the third track in a circuit that included Painesville Raceway to the north and nearby Grandview Raceway. Northfield was constructed and opened in 1957 by Grandview's owner, the late Walter J. Michael, who wanted to expand the racing season. Michael, owner of Pickwick Farms, Ohio's most prominent standardbred breeding farm for decades, also owned a stable of notable horses including Miss Gene Abbe, the equine star of the motion picture, "Home In Indiana." In 1972, the racetrack was purchased in part by Cleveland real estate magnate Carl Milstein who later leased the facility to outside operators.

The track’s resilient horsemen went over 1,400 consecutive race cards – nearly seven years—without a cancellation due to weather or dispute, until a snowstorm on Monday, December 13, 2004 forced the track’s first cancellation since 1998.

The Battle of Lake Erie annually draws Northfield Park's largest crowd--nearly 10,000 people. The race features the best Free-For-All Pacers in North America chasing a $150,000 purse.

The track is a half-mile oval, with a Eurorail pylon configuration, which is much safer than a traditional hubrail. The stretch is 440 feet in length, standard for an oval of its size, and features a "passing lane" or open stretch. It is run clockwise on a dirt track. 8 starters behind the gate to race.

Types of Races: Harness Racing Racing Season: From: 01/01/2009 To: 12/31/2009 Year Opened: 08/23/1957 Famous Races: The Battle of Lake Erie is it's biggest promotion yearly. There's also The Scarlet and Gray Stakes and the Cleveland Classic. Additional Information: Parking is plentiful and cheap. Sports club, microbrewery, private booths, large viewing grandstand, club house dining. Racecourse Web Site: [Web Link]

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