Sitting right on the banks of the Ohio River which forms the border between the states of Kentucky and Ohio, Belterra Park is just nine miles from downtown Cincinnati with the journey taking racegoers over the river twice and therefore into Kentucky for most of the journey.
Belterra Park, formerly known as River Downs, operates as a racino meaning that it serves those not only those looking for horse racing entertainment but also those wishing to play casino games too.
The casino is open every day as is the facility for watching simulcast racing, i.e. even when no live racing is taking place on the track visitors can watch and bet on horse racing taking place from around the rest of the United States and Canada.
Even before it was River Downs this venue opened up its doors back in 1925 and was originally called Coney Island Racetrack, given that it sits right next door to the Coney Island Amusem*nt Park.
Famously, brilliant thoroughbred Seabiscuit raced twice around here back in 1936, finishing third each time before going on to beat Triple Crown winner War Admiral by fourth lengths and becoming Horse of the Year in 1938.
Now a very firm fixture on the American horse racing circuit, Belterra Park is an important stop-off for many trainers and the addition to its dirt track of an inside turf course back in 1956 meant a new dimension to the venue, with the grass surface now used for several of the major stakes races staged here during the summer.
Ticket Prices at Belterra Park
Tickets are standard at $20 for Belterra Park, but as a racino, all visitors are welcome to use the facilities for free when gambling in the casino while races from around the country are shown via simulcast too.
Admission prices often include a free buffet at Belterra, making any prices paid for live racing events seem even more reasonable.
Belterra Park Track Details
The main track at Belterra Park is a standard one-mile dirt oval, featuring a chute on the home stretch and one on the back. As with almost all North American tracks of this nature, the track is flat and tight nature, left-handed with its sharp bends making it ideal for speed horses.
The go-to tactic is to break as quickly from the gate as possible and get into a good race position, something even more crucial for those given an outside post position.
A horse possessing strong tactical speed can break fast and keep the position for the short run-in, but going flat out all the way won’t necessarily get the job done and those going the inner route but keeping just a little in reserve can finish with a flourish.
The turf track sits inside the dirt track and is even tighter at just seven furlongs in length. Again left-handed and flat, the turf course at Belterra is often quick but will suit those coming from off the pace just a little more than the dirt track, although once again a quick break from an inside gate is still considered a major advantage so look out for those drawn in low numbers.
The turf course becomes particularly well used for major stakes races in the summer, with by far the most popular distance being the one mile and half-a-furlong trip, so check out the stats for that in terms of sectional times, draw etc to see what works best at Belterra.
Belterra Park's Biggest Horse Races
The yearly race meet at Belterra Park runs from the end of April to the end of September on Labor Day weekend with most racing of just an average standard, however, there is a good stakes schedule at the track featuring the following events:
- Albert Palacios Memorial Stakes – 6f, April
- Tall Stack Stakes – 6½f, 3yo only, May
- Green Carpet Stakes – 1m½f (turf), 3yo only, May
- Sydney Gendelman Memorial Handicap – 1m½f (turf), June
- Hoover Stakes – 5½f, 2yo only, July
- Cincinnatian Stakes – 1m½f (turf), 3yo fillies, July
- Buckeye Native Stakes – 1m½f (turf), July
- Queen City Oaks – 1m½f, 3yo fillies, July
- Vivacious Handicap – 1m½f (turf), fillies & mares, August
- Horizon Stakes – 1m½f (turf), 3yo only, August
- Tah Dah Stakes – 6f, 2yo fillies, August
- Miss Southern Ohio Stakes – 1m½f (turf), fillies & mares, September
- Loyalty Stakes – 6f, 2yo, September
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FAQs
Win/Place or Place/Show: Simply a combination of win & place or place & show. There are two combinations, so a $2 bet would cost $4 in total.
How much is a $2 superfecta box bet? ›
Superfecta Costs
The Superfecta involves you picking the first four horses to finish in the exact order. As the basic bet is one combination, a $2 Superfecta costs just that, $2.
What is the most profitable way to bet on horse racing? ›
In conclusion, the most profitable horse racing strategy is value betting. It involves identifying discrepancies between a bettor's estimation of a horse's chance of winning and the odds provided by the bookmaker. By taking advantage of these apparent errors, bettors can maximize profits with higher chances of winning.
How to bet horses successfully? ›
6 horse betting tips to win more races
- 1 Do your research. The first step to winning horse betting is to do your research before placing your bets. ...
- 2 Study a horse's winning percentage. ...
- 3 Don't ignore the favourite. ...
- 4 Don't overbet. ...
- 5 Have a strategy. ...
- 6 Choose the right wager.
If one win bet is $10, for across the board wager, you usually have to cover the cost of all three bets, and you will have to pay at least $30.
What is the smartest bet in horse racing? ›
So, which is the smarter bet? The answer may surprise you: it depends. If you're betting on a horse that is a heavy favorite to win, then a win bet is probably your best bet. However, if you're betting on a horse that isn't a potential winner, then a place bet might be the smarter bet.
How much do I win if I bet $100 on odds? ›
Decimal odds explained
For example, a $100 bet made at decimal odds of 3.00 would return $300 ($100 x 3.00): $200 in profit and the original $100 amount risked. A $100 bet made at decimal odds of 1.50 would return $150: $50 in profit and the original $100 amount risked.
What's the safest bet in horse racing? ›
If you like a horse in a race, you can bet it “across the board,” which means a WIN, PLACE and SHOW bet on the same horse. If it crosses the finish line first, you win all three bets. The safest bet you can make is a SHOW bet on the favorite. While it's the most likely to hit, it delivers a small return.
What is the best horse bet for a beginner? ›
Pick a horse and bet him to win (finish first), place (finish second) or show (finish third). This is a $2 base bet, and you can certainly bet more if you'd like. You can also bet the horse "across the board," meaning you have him to win, place and show — which is a $6 bet on a $2 base bet.
What is the 80 20 strategy in horse racing? ›
In betting terms, we can view the Pareto principle as: 80% of your betting profits come from 20% of your bets. This is probably about right. Picking a winning horse is never easy, especially if the favourite has odds higher than Evens (1/1 in UK odds, or 2.0 in decimal odds).
Bet on Multiple Races
Placing bets on multiple races can be an excellent strategy. Mainly, that is if you want to win a considerable amount of money. This strategy involves placing bets on several horses participating in different races.
What is the best time to bet on horses? ›
So, in answer to your question, the best time to place a bet is when the odds on a horse you fancy are higher than you expect it to start at, AND you have every reason to believe it's going to run. If neither applies, then either final decs or 10 am morning of the race, is the way to go.
How do you win a lot of money in horse racing? ›
Bet on a horse where the odds don't properly reflect the horse's chances. If the odds are 20/1, suggesting about a 5% chance of winning, but the horse actually has a 10% chance of winning, you should bet on it.
How much does a place bet cost? ›
The minimum stake for a Place bet is $2. Some tracks have experimented with a $1 or even $. 50 option, but that has not yet become popular. Place bets made online have the same minimum as betting Place bets made at the horse racing track.
How to calculate a show bet payout? ›
Winnings on show bets are unlimited and based on the odds when the gates break open, signaling the start of the race. Payoffs are calculated by the total pool less the track's takeout (basically commission), then divided among all the winning tickets.
How much does a $2 exacta box cost? ›
Exacta Box / Perfecta Box
The formula for calculating the cost of an exacta box is (horses in box x (horses in box minus 1) x dollar amount of bet). A $2 box of two horses would be (2 x 1 x 2) = $4. A $2 box of three horses would be (3 x 2 x 2) = $12. A $2 box of four horses would be (4 x 3 x 2) = $24.
What is the minimum bet on the win place show? ›
Straight Wagers
However, if your horse wins, you only collect the Place payout. The minimum wager is $2. Show – You collect if your horse finishes first, second, or third, but you only collect the Show payout. The minimum wager is $2.
