1926 The Pompano Horse Racing Track

GI Horne, who had designed tracks at Raceland, Kentucky; Harry De Gras, Maryland; Collinsville, Illinois; and Saratoga, New York, supervised- teams of men working around the clock in order to finish the Pompano Race Track located one mile west of Dixie Highway. Costing $1,250,000 upon completion with stables and service buildings for 1,000 horses and a grandstand large enough to seat 6,800 people, the Pompano Race Track was one mile long, 100 feet wide, and surfaced with clay and sand.

On Christmas Day, 1926, a shining sun splashed across the grandstand as thousands of fans brought in by special buses witnessed the opening thoroughbred horse race at the Pompano racing plant, touted as one of the best drawcards in South Florida. Down the stretch heading to a win was Jockey F. Weiner riding “Russell" who made the five and one-half furlongs in one minute thirteen seconds paying $16.40. Subsequently, Pompano pari-mutuel betting was declared to be in violation of the state of Florida's anti-gambling statute by the State Supreme Court. Governor John Martin vowed to enforce the court's ruling even if the state militia had to be sent to Pompano, "a center of lawbreakers; to stop the wagering.”

As a consequence, the enterprising Pompano operators sponsored a number of other attractions including boxing matches and South Florida's first dirt track automobile races. Although the initial dirt track automobile race was cut short after a torrential downpour in July 1927, the spirits of the crowds watching daredevils in cars from eight states plough through the muck and sludge were not dampened.

This was provided by the Pompano Beach Diamond Jubilee Booklet, Author: Marlyn Kemper; photos by Frank Trenery; 1983