Oh Wow Belterra Park!!!`

[madelyn]

On Sunday, a group of my pals and three horses made their way up to the BRAND NEW Belterra Park on the site of the old, decrepit hole-in-the-wall that used to be River Downs. Between us, we were in the 1st, the 2nd and the 4th (we are all in the same barn at High Pointe!) We all cashed a check and my pal in the 4th actually won that race. The purses are 50 to 100% higher than last year.

Holy Cow. It's BEAUTIFUL. Big new casino/grandstand building directly overlooking the track. Nice architecture, lovely colors. They have built new, rebuilt or renovated every square inch of the backside. I was happy to see that the place was PACKED. I was simply stunned that so VERY MUCH could be accomplished in so little time.

[Jane]

I noticed that you ran there on the weekend, actually looked the place up since I didn't know anything about it. The old River Downs sure looks to have been upgraded very nicely. Always nice to hear when a racetrack is packed these days.

[wilf]

I see you are training now Madelyn, best of luck to you. That sounds great and a positive move forward in Ohio which was dead and buried a few years ago. If racing needs to live alongside Casinos to survive then so be it. I know it's tough to grab a piece of the gambling dollar these days but racing is such a labour intensive sport with a ripple effect on the rural economies as well as the local area that it can only be a good thing especially if it boosts the breeding program. I read a piece recently on the demise of Beulah Park and what a disaster it is but nowhere was it mentioned that 2 new tracks were springing up in Ohio. The Belterra track is in a great spot to thrive once more and the new one near Youngstown is in a far better location than Beulah as to me Columbus is simply not a racing town in any shape. I looked at the Pedigree of your friend's horse that won the 4th race and I wondered if it has a leg missing to be running so cheaply. Anyway keep us posted Madelyn.

[madelyn]

She actually is a really crooked legged mare and he always ran her "long" to avoid getting her hurt. He gave her away after the race.

As for me, I ended up getting my trainer's license as sort of a last resort. My big Cryptoclearance horse seems to finally be making a bit of progress and his nagging issues have all cleared up. My filly is back on track and likely to start in a few weeks. I really love High Pointe to train at. It's a great place.

[madelyn]

My Crypto horse (Eight to the Bar) is finally grown into his legs (he is 17.1h) and his last start fought the jock but made a big move after the turn. Jock said "put on a ring bit and go 6 and a half and he will win. This horse can RUN." It's the first time he actually accelerated to racing speed in an actual race. There is one for him on 6/19 back at Belterra.

Where are you training this year Wilf?

[madelyn]

Well I had to come back and say that the last book at Belterra Park was SO Disappointing. After the big start and bigger promises, they cut the purses nearly in half for that last book. So not even one whole season of reasonably good money.

[ct2346]

I would guess that you'd try to bring him back at CD?

My sense is that the late fall meet there will offer some opportunities.

[madelyn]

Actually after a 4th in a 6-1/2f at Belterra what he needed was a one-turn mile. So we made five trips to Ellis Park and cashed 5 checks. Then an abysmal attempt to see if he like turf at KY Downs - turns out the concrete-like turf at Ellis was fine but the swamp/bog at KY Downs was not. Then back to Belterra for a nice 3rd at the end of the meet. There is one at CD on the card for Nov 5th we are aiming for but I expect some bears there.

[ct2346]

you have a PM