The story
The phrase comes from horse racing. In a close race, a jockey keeps the reins tight and his hands working to drive the horse on to its fastest.
But a rider who was far out in front didn’t need to push. He could ease off, drop his hands and let the reins go loose as his horse cruised across the finish line. Winning “hands down” meant winning without even trying hard at the end.
Racing writers were using it by the 1830s. In June 1832, the London sporting paper Bell’s Life reported that a horse “won with hands down.”
It didn’t stay at the racetrack for long. By 1866, an English almanac was predicting that “Red-tape will win, hands down,” and from then on any easy, clear-cut victory could be won hands down.
The jockey’s relaxed hands said it all. Anyone watching knew the race was over long before the horse reached the post.
