Pompano Park

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Pompano Park racetrack was a 5/8-mile harness track in Pompano Beach, Florida that featured live racing year-round. It offered world-class standardbred horse racing, showcasing top-ranked trotters and pacers, award-winning drivers and trainers, and some of the best racing action in North America.

The track was centrally located just one mile west of Interstate 95, one mile east of the Florida Turnpike, and one block south of the corner of Atlantic Blvd and Powerline Road. It was only a 15-minute drive from the ocean, 20 minutes from Fort Lauderdale / Hollywood International Airport, and less than an hour from Miami Beach.

The entire Pompano Park racetrack facility served as a complete entertainment destination. It accommodated up to 20,000 spectators and 12,000 cars, and housed approximately 1,000 horses.

Pompano Park Race Track Facts

Track Size and Surface

5/8-mile track composed of Marl (combination of Florida type clay, concrete sand and rice rock-similar to limestone chips or crushed coral).

Homestretch Length

608 feet from top of the stretch to finish

Track Width

80 feet

Track Features

No hubrail
No passing lane
Pylons for safety

Grandstand Capacity

7,500

Pompano Park Milestones

In 1953, a New York ad executive turned horse breeder named Frederick Van Lennen purchased a failed Depression-era thoroughbred racing track and vowed to build the "Taj Mahal" of harness racing. He faced formidable legal opposition from various parties with interests in the pari-mutuel business.

On February 4, 1964, the $5.5 million Pompano Park race track first opened its gates to the public. Pompano Park race track's inaugural season was a 46-night harness racing meet.
Throughout its 40-year history, Pompano Park race track has hosted many of harness racing's greatest horses, drivers and trainers. Each year, it also hosts several charitable fund raising events. It is the home of the Broward County Fair. It has also been designated a hurricane shelter for horses for Florida
Over the next four decades, Pompano Park built a strong reputation as one of North America's leading harness racing destinations. It regularly featured elite standardbred competition, including top-ranked trotters and pacers, as well as some of the sport's most accomplished drivers and trainers. The track also hosted major stakes races and maintained a consistent schedule of year-round live racing, drawing both local fans and national attention.
In an effort to remain competitive and expand its entertainment offerings, Pompano Park underwent modernization in its later years. This included the introduction of casino-style gaming, such as slot machines and other amenities, transforming the venue into a more diversified entertainment destination that appealed to a broader audience beyond traditional racing fans.
After decades of continuous operation and a rich history in harness racing, Pompano Park held its final live racing season in April 2022. The closure marked the end of an era for one of Florida's most historic standardbred racetracks, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the sport.

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