Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center facts for kids

Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center
Location	Cincinnati, Ohio
Address	6301 Kellogg Avenue
Opening date	May 1, 2014
Total gaming space	48,000 sq ft (4,500 m2)
Casino type	Racino
Owner	Gaming and Leisure Properties
Operating license holder	Boyd Gaming
Previous names	River Downs
Belterra Park Date opened 1925 Capacity 1,200 Race type Thoroughbred Course type Flat, Harness Racing Notable races Cane Pace Cradle Stakes Bassinet Stakes

Belterra Park is a fun place where you can watch exciting horse races! It's also a "racino," which means it has both a racetrack and a gaming area. This park used to be called River Downs.

You can find Belterra Park in Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio. It's just outside the city of Cincinnati. The company Gaming and Leisure Properties owns the park, and Boyd Gaming manages it.

A Look Back: Belterra Park's History

How It All Started

Belterra Park first opened way back in 1925. It was known as the Coney Island Race Track then. The track is right next to the Ohio River. It's also near the Coney Island water park and the Riverbend Music Center.

Famous Horses and Riders

Did you know a very famous horse named Seabiscuit raced here? He visited the track twice in 1936. His trainer, "Silent Tom" Smith, brought him from Detroit. Seabiscuit finished third in two races that year.

The track survived a huge flood in 1937. After that, it reopened with a new name: "River Downs." Races have mostly been held in the summer ever since. In 1956, a special grass track was added. This made River Downs one of the first tracks in America with a grass racing area. Many horse experts loved this grass course!

In 1976, a young jockey named Steve Cauthen won his first race here. He was called "The Kid." Steve later became super famous. He rode Affirmed to win the Triple Crown, a huge achievement in horse racing. He also became a champion jockey in Europe.

Exciting Races and Big Winners

During the 1980s, a race called the Miller Genuine Draft Cradle Stakes became very important. It was the richest race for two-year-old horses in Ohio. In 1984, a horse named Spend A Buck won this race. The next year, he went on to win the famous 1985 Kentucky Derby! Spend A Buck won many races and over $4.2 million in his career. He was even named the best horse in America that year.

Modern Upgrades and Changes

Over the years, the old wooden grandstand needed an update. So, in 1988, they built a brand new one! The new grandstand had comfy stadium seats. It also had a game room, a gift shop, and escalators. There were more food stands and a pub called Finnigans Pub.

The area where horses get ready, called the paddock, was also made bigger. This let fans get closer to the horses before races. The Clubhouse, another building for visitors, also got many improvements. It received new air conditioning and over 2500 TV screens.

In 2011, a company called Pinnacle Entertainment bought the track. They later changed the name from River Downs to Belterra Park in October 2013. The racetrack and grandstand were rebuilt and moved slightly.

In 2018, Boyd Gaming bought Belterra Park. They now operate the park.

Live Racing at Belterra Park

You can enjoy live horse racing at Belterra Park for many months of the year.

In 2017, races started in late April and continued until early October. Races were usually held on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and some Thursdays. They also had races on special holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. Sometimes, they even feature Quarter horse races!

What Belterra Park Looks Like

The new grandstand at Belterra Park has 1,200 permanent seats. There's also space to add another 1,000 seats for big race days.

The racetrack itself has two main parts. There's a dirt track that is one mile long. Inside that is a grass track, which is about seven-tenths of a mile long. The park also has stables that can house up to 1,350 horses!

Exciting Races You Can See

Belterra Park hosts several special races, known as stakes races. These include:

• Bassinet Stakes
• Buckeye Native Stakes
• Cradle Stakes
• Hoover Stakes
• Miss Southern Ohio Stakes
• Queen City Oaks
• Vivacious Handicap