Belterra Park, formerly known as River Downs, is a racino located in Anderson Township, Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati. River Downs, originally called Coney Island, opened in 1925, 15 years after the closing of the Old Oakley Race Course. The venue was adjacent to the Coney Island Amusement Park.

The track survived the catastrophic 1937 Cincinnati flood and re-opened under the River Downs moniker. The 7-furlong turf course was created in 1956, which made the venue the 13th track in America with a grass racing strip. This grass course elicited rave reviews from connoisseurs across the country.

River Downs Jockey Club Inc. purchased the facility in 1975 and constructed an entirely new grandstand by the end of the 1988 racing season. It was also during the 1980s that the Miller Genuine Draft Cradle Stakes became the richest 2-year-olds race in Ohio.

State legislation finally allowed Full-Card simulcasting in 1996, and in just a matter of weeks, right after the live meet, the River Downs Racebook became the country's most modern simulcasting center. Thoroughbred and harness racing from across the country was broadcast over a gigantic television system with over 100, high-resolution televisions. It was also the first track to show a "minutes to post" chronological display of the tracks.

Within months of the River Downs Racebook renovation, the track fell victim yet again to another flood: the Cincinnati flood of 1997. The banks of the Ohio River overflowed like never before, flooding the entire lower level of the Clubhouse, the entire first level of the grandstand, plus other areas. However, fast action put the upper level of the Racebook back on track in a matter of 18 days. The racetrack reopened on schedule for live racing with a new clubhouse lower level and an improved backstretch.

The venue was purchased in January 2011 by Pinnacle Entertainment and was renamed Belterra Park in 2013. Currently, the track has two courses: the dirt main track as a 1-mile oval, plus the 7-furlong turf (grass course) within the main track. It also has a chute for ​1-1⁄16 and ​1-1⁄8 mile races. These are some of the non-graded stakes races run at Belterra Park: Bassinet Stakes, Buckeye Native Stakes, Cradle Stakes, among others.

Famous winner Seabiscuit made two appearances at the track back in 1936.

BETMANIA players can find Belterra Park Betting Odds on competing horses, including popular horse racing bet types such as Win/Place/Show, Exactas, Trifectas, Superfectas and many more. Visit our racebook to learn more about the available bet options and other popular race tracks.

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Belterra Park Facts:

  • Racecourse type: Oval, dirt; turf (grass); chute
  • Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Purse: N/A
  • Venue Capacity: N/A
  • Track length: 1-mile dirt, 7-furlong grass (turf)
  • Important track records: (1976) Steve Cauthen, an apprentice jockey, won the eighth race at River Downs aboard Red Pipe. This race, particularly, launched the career of one of the world's most famous riders, "The Kid", the only jockey ever to win the Irish Derby, French Derby, English Derby, and the Italian Derby.