Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-07
TALK OF THE TOUT.
PECULIAR EXPRESSIONS USED ON THE
RACE TRACKS.

While Mystifying to the Uninitiated, They
Are Easily Understood When Once Ex-
pIained-Some of the Phrases Are Very
..Catchy'-Mostly of English Origin.
Race track phrases as intricate to the
uninitiated as a Fiji islander love song
are fast creeping into all walks Of life,
and the slang which makes up the vo-
cabulary Of the turfman is liable to be
heard in the social small talk Of the
day, in the rigid business house and fire.
quently in the clubs. Where some of
the terms originated is a mystery, but
the genuine tout" speaks nothing else,
and his jargon is at once interesting
and novel Nearly all Of the express
sions, like the thieves lore, probably
came from the English courses, and the
English race going people are more IA
miliar with the words of the stable boy
or lower class than the American pa
irons of this sport of the kings. The
running track has loaned some of its
choice ones to the trotters, and the mix
turo at the tracks where the long tailed
light harness performers win stakes and
purses is a combination of later years.
The modern tout" this genius be-
ing one who almost sleeps on tracks and
impartS his early morning information
to you when half of the winnings of
your bet are promised him, can spin it
off by the yard, and some of his express
sions are indeed unique.
There she goes all to pieces, - he
will cxclaim as the FLY he has picked
to win suddenly wavcrs and begins to
fall to the rear. He may say something
about her shutting up like jack
knife" as she drops into the truck, "
which name is applied to the tail end of
the procession. Should she go out of her
proper course in running he will in
form you that she has "bolted, and he
will call her 'bore" if she happens to
swerve against another horse, impeding
his progress. If she should have been
pulled for some reasons he had not
learned, he may call her dead un, -
meaning that she was not intended to
win, but if he applies the word duff
fer to her that means she couldn't beat
anything.
On the turf the term "deadbeat" has
two meanings. 1t is sometimes applied
to a horse completely exhausted and is
always applied to any man who fails
to pay his debts. In the latter sense the
turf is no different from any other place.
why, he'll lead from end to end
would signify that the animal in ques-
ton will be in front of the others from
the start to the finish. Should another
horse come up suddenly and dispute
every inch of the way, the newcomer is
said to challenge" the other, and when
he arrives alongside of him and there
is no difference between their noses from
the stand the two are racing head and
head. " 1t might seem to be n breach of
etiquette to hear man say that some
old horse is the ''swellest maiden on
the track. This would indicate that the
horse is the best one that has never won
a race.
Should a track follower tell you that
he saw certain horse out for pipe
opener in the morning, but he didn't
negotiate" we'll, he is intending to
convey the information that in the
morning exercise the horse would not
jump or run we'll
The betting terms on the track are
quite amusing, and some of the express
sions for amounts of money are on Il par
with the super" benny, " ''mush"
and other common terms among the
light fingered gentry. II run pony
into q century and then dropped the
whole thing trying to run it into a
monkey" The pony is $25, the century
800 and the monkey $500 Should he
have won the last bet, and the book.
maker, taking time by the forelock and
his cashboX by the handle, disappeared
without paying off, the dishonest gen
tleman would have carried the name
''welcher' around with him the rest of
his life Tie words ''cinch, " moral, "
lead pipe" and few others not unlike
them are used to indicate that horse
cannot lose unless he should fall down.
To win hands down" is to reach the
wire first without effort or 'in bloody
canter," as % track follower might OBJ
serve in his philosophical way. And
when they say bookmaker-the man
who lays odds against your Judgment
is rounding" up his book they mean
he is trying to get money on some horses
which have not been heavily backed, so
that no matter who wins his percentage
IS there just the same.
Come" means horse which is catch
ing the leaders very rapidly and com
ing again" means one that has done
this, then fallen back and suddenly
gaining courage and speed makes an
other dash for tho front. Should he
jump on to the hind legs of one in the
lead he will be said to have "cut him
down, and should horse or jockey fall
just as they are in sight of the money
somebody will probably say, He came
down cropper "
The vocabulary of the follower of the
track is quite extensive and very catch
ing, for the pleasant little dinners after
the derby or handicap has been decided
are likely to have lots of such express
sions mixed i'll the idle prattle while
the viands are being discussed.-Ex-
Cbanpa