Evening star., 1884-07-26

N-o 1e~o'SS oh oNcI tlc COuutiy iCuu 9uCi
encouraging and inspiring presence by the
thousands to the meets Of mettled steeds.
Inc partlallty OF the people for turf sports when
nonorably conducted has been exempliied here
IN washington. The National Jockey Club, with
Its excellent track and admirable management,
now ranks with the best, and nowhere is the
sport more literally patronized.
VI tne masses, however who attend races and
delight In the sport they afford, there are COM
paratlVely few who understand the various terms
recognized part Of the vocabulary in describ-
ing races. These terms can no longer be pro-
perry called slang, though they originated as
sucn, because use and custom have made them
legitimate. With very few exceptions these
Terms and phrases originated in England, and
have been in use many of them at least, fol
several centuries.
WORD OF ROYAL ANCESTRY.
Take, for instance, the word "wecher,'
which describes person who makes bets with
out the remotest chance or intention Of paying
them, who If he wins, claims his stakes, and il
he loses either absconds or brazenly refuses to
pay. That word is said to have derived it's ex-
istence from the habit of the Prince of Wales,
afterwards George ". Of England. OF never set
Ting his bets. Others attribute it to the old
nursery rhyme, "Taffy was Welshman. Tafy
was tnef. 1t applies to all sorts Of dishOn-
esty In betting. and is often used "Welshman. "
from 1t the word welshing" to define the act
OF dishonesty in betting, is derived.
LACED" AND ALLOWANCES"
aged" is a term that frequently confronts
every reader OF racing program. 1t describes
horse over six years old. The age Of a horse
Is always reckoned from the lst Of January
OF the year in which it is fOaled.
allowances" Is another word that often con-
iounds the race-cOurse visitor. Every course
has its fixed standard Of weights for running
rlnn nf% %h, l,,.n-,
the same standard. For In tance, at jerome
Park. Monmouth Park, Saratoga and Coney
Island, the standard for May of each year is for
two year olds so pounds for half a mile, rs
pounds for three7quarters of a mile and 70
pounds for mile. For three year olds it is los
pounds for half mile and 100 pounds for mile
The scale of weights is regulated for each age
and distance and for the month of the year.
This is the standard of weights and .allow-
ances' means a diversion from it. ''Maiden
allowances means reduction of weight for
horses that have never won a race. the word
maiden being used to describe non-winners.
HANDICAP" AND '.swEEPsfA FAKES"
The term Handicap is used to describe race
in which the weights are arranged according to
the merits and performances of the horses en-
tered instead of according to their ages, the
chance. The term comes from an old Irish
game 'hand-i-the-cap" on challenging each
others effects, now obsolete
''Sweepstakes" is used to describe race in
which each subscriber engages to pay a certain
sum for each horse entered the winner taking
all the money or sweeping the stakes. The rule
Is tor the course over which the race is run
to add sum OF money, and q small portion of
the total usually goes to the second horse A
handicap sweepstake" is race in which the
horses entered are handicapped according to
merit or record. The clause on racing pro-
gram, after mentioning race, reading. for
instance a1O0 each, half forfeit, $40 only if de-
clared out" by specific date means that for
each horse entered 800 must be put up and If
the horse fails to run half that entry money
by the date given, when, in that case, only $40
is forfeited
"sELLING RACE"
is one In which the horses are entered with a
price Indicated, at which the owners will dis
pose Of them, the sale usually taking place at
auction upon the finish Of the race 1t is, in
fact. species of handicap made by the owners
of the horses themselves, and the conditions are
usually set forth about as follows: Horses en-
tered to be sold tor 81 500 to carry weight for
age "a system of weights. based upon the age
of the horses. and not upon merit or recOrd); if
to be sold for 81 900, allowed 5 pounds if
for $3.50, allowed 10 pounds" and SO on
the aOwance-meaning a reduction of that
much weight-increasing as the fixed price OF
the horse decreases. For instance, a horse en-
tered to sell for $500 would only carry 96 pounds
being an allowance of % pounds taken off Of
weight for age (l1S pounds) 1t is the rule on
some courses to divide any excess that the win
ner may bring over the fixed price between the
owner Of the second horse and the club.
The word barney is applied to CT ,oked
race, in which there Is collusion to win or
lose "CrOss" is also thus applied. When q
horse jostles against another with sufficient
force to break his stride and impede his run
ming 1t is called a "carOm or bore" "Velyet"
describes man who is ahead in betting. His
winnings are ''vevet." and one who has good
luck is spoken of as being ..in clover" A s.con-
ISOLATION race" is one arranged for beaten horses
at meeting, and is usually the last On pro-
gram.
''wEIGHING OUT" AND ';wEIGIING IN"
Not less than ten minutes before race all the
jockeys must present themselves and be weighed
This is called weighing out, and each jockey,
with his saddle and trappings and very often q
loaded pad, must weigh the prescribed weight
his horse is to carry. The weighing is repeated
after the race, which is called weighing in. :"
and if any weight is wrong the fact is reported to
the judges, who take 1t into consideration in
making their decision.
A 'walk over is when horse has no COM
pettOr and is sent over the track to win the
stake. 1t is often used, however to describe an
easy winner. 1t is.'said when horse has easily
that he won ''hands down." which means that
the horse won without any assistance or encour-
agement from his jockey.
''Making the running is where a Jockey
pushes his horse to the front in race and leads
rapidly in order to exhaust some Of the horses
and enable stable companion who understands
the scheme to save his mount for the finish and
there crowd him through!
'.Wating in front" describes O trick by which
a smart jockey rushes his horse to the front and
then steadying him, leads green competitors to
believe he is ''making the running"
Agents who collect information as to horses
and send them by mail or telegraph in advance
of races to subscribers to govern their betting
are called ''touts." To forego winning q race
when it could be done is to throw" it. A horse
that occasionally shows fine running, but is un-
reliable, Is called a''Sunday horse"
horse "breaks away" when in a false start
he gets beyond control, OR when he suddenly
and rapidly leads In a race.
A clumsy leap Is q ''bungle," and to get a fall
so severe as to lose all chance in the race is o
':burster."
A "PLAY-0R-PAY" RACE
is one where the subscriber whose horse does
not appear to compete forfei+s all his stake. All
race bets are considered ''pay or play.". All of
the starters in a race is the field" and laying
money against favorltes is often called field
ing" 'In good form" or sin bad form" refers
to horses condition Of health and fitness for
racing.
A ..free handicap race is one in which an
owner may enter his horse without being bound
to pay any forfeit If he does not like the weight
assigned.
tenn horaon in ono with s,eo;not -..,