The Press., 1894-07-05
TALK OF THE TOUT.
PECULIAR EXPRESSIONS USED ON THE
 RACE TRACKS.

RACE TRACKS.
 While Mystifying to the Uninitiated, They
 Are Easily Understood When Once Ex-
 plained-SOme of the Phrases Are Very
 ssCatchy"--Mostly of English Origin.
 Race track phrases as intricate to the uninitiated as 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 ire quently in the clubs. Where some of the terms originated is mystery, but the genuine ''tout" speaks nothing else, and his jargon is at once interesting and novel Nearly all of the expres- sions, like the thieves lore, probably came from the English courses, and the English race going people are more fa- 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 ture at the tracks where the long tailed light harness performers win stakes and purses is 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 expres- sions are indeed unique.
 ''There she goes all to pieces, he will exclaim as the lilly he has picked to win suddenly wavers 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 ill 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 "duf- fer'' to her that means she couldn't beat anything.
 On the turf the term "deadbeat" has two meanings. It 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- tion will be ill 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. It might seem to be 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 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 well.
 The betting terms on the track are quite amusing, and some of the expres- sions for amounts of money are on par with the "super, '' "benny," tmush" !" and other common terms among the light fingered gentry. ''I run a pony into a century and then dropped the whole thing trying to run it into 8 monkey.' The pony is $25, the century $10O 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. The 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 Gin a bloody canter," as track follower might ob- serve in his philosophical way. And when they say bookmaker-the man WAO AoJo OO'lo GIs5n1LoU yOu4 JuuS5 S5H1cAt-- 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 the 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 a 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 expres- sions mixed in the idle prattle while the viands are being discussed