Northfield Harness Racing
Northfield Park is located 15 miles southeast of downtown Cleveland, Ohio, USA on Route 8 (Northfield Road), off the Forbes Road exit of I-271. It is widely acknowledge as one of the Cleveland area's top sports and entertainment venues.
Northfield Park is the only racetrack in the world with its own Microbrewery. The brewery is just one aspect of a $10 million renovation project that began in early 1997 and culminated in its June 1998 grand opening.
Northfield Park Facts
- Track Size: Half-mile
- Speed Rating: 2:00.1
- Length of Homestretch: 440 feet
- Width of Homestretch: 80 feet
- Starters Behind Gate: 8
- Hub Rail: None
- Passing Lane: Yes
Exciting Events at Northfield Park
Some of the major annual events held at Northfield Park include:
- the Miller Lite Cleveland Classic, a major stakes event for three year-old pacing colts
- the Courageous Lady, an event for 3-year old pacing fillies
- the Battle for Lake Erie, a highly-anticipated annual tourney that has been been held for almost two decades now
Northfield Park Track Records - Pacers
| Category | Horse | Driver | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Age / Aged Gelding | This Is The Plan | Yannick Gingras | 1:47.3 | June 5, 2021 |
| Aged Horse | Ken Hanover | Brett Miller | 1:48.3 | June 7, 2025 |
| 4-Year-Old Gelding | Ocean Rock | Dan Noble | 1:48.1 | August 14, 2021 |
| 3-Year-Old Colt | Seven Colors | Dexter Dunn | 1:48.1 | August 12, 2023 |
| 3-Year-Old Gelding | Bythemissal Charlie May |
Chris Page Brett Miller |
1:48.4 | August 13, 2022 August 14, 2021 |
| Aged Mare | Ellagator | Aaron Merriman | 1:49.3 | June 18, 2022 |
| 4-Year-Old Mare | Drama Act | Ronnie Wrenn Jr. | 1:50.1 | December 4, 2021 |
| 2-Year-Old Gelding | Ocean Rock | Dan Noble | 1:51.1 | August 24, 2019 |
Northfield Park Track Records - Trotters
| Category | Horse | Driver | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Age / Aged Mare | Weslynn Quest | Aaron Merriman | 1:50.4 | August 14, 2021 |
| Aged Gelding | Tequila Talkin | Chris Lems | 1:51.3 | May 21, 2023 |
| 4-Year-Old Gelding | Caviar Gold | Aaron Merriman | 1:52.1 | May 14, 2023 |
| 3-Year-Old Gelding | John Dutton | Brett Miller | 1:52.2 | August 12, 2023 |
History of Northfield Park
The grounds of Northfield Park hold a colorful past that traces back to the height of 1930s gangster lore. Originally backed by the Chicago syndicate of the notorious mobster Al Capone, the facility was constructed in 1934 under the name Sportsman Park. The initial plan was to cash in on a wave of greyhound racing popularity, but the venture hit an immediate roadblock when the Ohio legislature failed to pass a bill legalizing parimutuel betting on dogs.
Forced to pivot, the track found a highly successful second life in the roaring world of auto racing. Reopening as a dirt oval in 1936, Sportsman Park transitioned into a premier venue for midget car and stock car racing. For two decades, the facility drew massive, adrenaline-fueled crowds, embedding itself deeply into the local sports culture.
By the mid-1950s, public interest in auto racing began to dwindle just as standardbred harness racing was experiencing a massive nationwide boom. In 1956, Sportsman Park was demolished to make way for a state-of-the-art horse racing facility. Led by a group of prominent standardbred breeders, the track was completely reimagined as a premium half-mile oval specifically engineered to handle high-velocity cornering.
On August 23, 1957, Northfield Park officially opened its gates. Thanks to its sweeping, banked turns designed to maximize momentum, the track quickly earned its legendary nickname: "The Flying Turns."
The track experienced a major resurgence in 1972 when it was acquired by real estate magnate Carl Milstein. His aggressive marketing and signature night-racing events injected fresh energy into the venue, setting the stage for its modern era.
The definitive turning point that solidified Northfield Park's elite status arrived in 1984. Propelled by a sweeping $20 million renovation project, the facility underwent a massive structural overhaul to elevate the spectator experience.
The centerpiece of this expansion was a state-of-the-art, glass-enclosed, and climate-controlled grandstand, alongside a luxury clubhouse. Together, these premier structures created an ultra-comfortable, year-round viewing experience that could comfortably seat over 5,800 spectators. This allowed Northfield Park to shatter the traditional seasonal racing mold and become one of the very first tracks in North America to host an active, year-round racing schedule.
Over the last two decades, Northfield has seamlessly evolved alongside the entertainment industry:
- The Casino Expansion: The property capitalized on changing state gaming laws by incorporating a massive gaming floor, seamlessly pairing live standardbred action with thousands of slot machines.
- The Entertainment Hub: The complex expanded its footprint to include world-class dining, premium sportsbooks, and a dedicated concert venue, transforming the track into a full-scale entertainment destination.
- A New Era: Control of the operations transitioned to global investment firm Clairvest Group, anchoring the legendary oval's future as a premier hub for live sports and gaming.
- Today, Northfield Park remains one of the most resilient and consistently active racetracks in the United States, hosting more than 200 race nights a year while continuing to build upon its historic legacy.