Tags
Belterra Park, formerly known as River Downs, is a racino located in Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, just outside the southeast limits of Cincinnati.HistoryRiver Downs opened in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1925. It was opened 15 years after the closing of a previous track in Cincinnati, Old Oakley Race Course. The race track sits right along the banks of the Ohio River. The track was originally named Coney Island and is adjacent to Coney Island Amusement Park.The famous horse Seabiscuit made two appearances at the track in 1936. His trainer “Silent Tom” Smith shipped the horse in from Detroit with jockey “Red” Pollard for two consecutive starts. On October 3, 1936, he ran third in the Western Hills Handicap and two weeks later he ran third in the Eastern Hills Handicap.The track managed to survive the disastrous Cincinnati flood of 1937 and re-opened under the name of "River Downs." Races were and still are held primarily in summer. The 7-furlong turf course was created in 1956, making River Downs the 13th track in America with a grass racing strip. The infield grass course has drawn rave reviews from horsemen across the country. Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr. once quoted, "This is the best turf course I've ever ridden on," after he rode Highland Crystal to victory in the Budweiser Breeders' Cup there.On May 17, 1976 an apprentice jockey won the eighth race at River Downs aboard Red Pipe. It was the race that would launch the career of one of the world's most renowned riders, Steve Cauthen. "The Kid", as he was called, went on to be the leading apprentice and overall rider at River Downs that season. He later rode Affirmed to become the youngest rider to sweep the Triple Crown. He eventually became a champion rider in Europe and may forever be the only jockey ever to win the Irish Derby, French Derby, English Derby and Italian Derby in addition to capturing America's "Run for the Roses."
