HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 75 



horses that are behind the flag, and all foul or improper con- 

 duct, if any has occurred under his observation. 



Distance Post; Distance Stand. The stand or 

 post at the end of the distance. 



Dock. The solid part of the horse's tail ; the crupper of 

 a saddle. 



Docking". The act of cutting off or clipping the horse's 

 tail, an operation which the dictates of fashion have caused to 

 be inflicted, periodically, for the past two hundred years; the 

 length of the dock or stump being a matter of mere caprice. 



Dog'. A mean horse ; a quitter. 



Domino. A phenomenal young thoroughbred racehorse, 

 known as ^'the unbeaten." Bred by B. G. Thomas, Lexing- 

 ton, Ky. Foaled in 1890. By Himyar; dam, Mamie Gray, 

 by Enquirer. Morris Park, September 29, 1893, won the 

 Matron Stakes, six furlongs, carrying 128 pounds, in 1:09, the 

 fastest time on record. His winnings as a four-year old in 

 1893, were -1176.730, no other American horse ever having won 

 anything nearly approaching this sum in a single season. 



Doncaster. In the West Biding of York, England, on 

 the river Don. The seat of the great race-course which has a 

 magnificent grand stand, and also a splendid noblemen's stand. 

 Races were established here in 1703, and the St Leger, for 

 three-year-olds, established by Col. St. Leger, is run in Septem 

 ber of each year. 



Doping". Drugging; from dope, any thick liquid. 

 When a horse is said to have been doped, the inference is that 

 he has been drugged or tampered with. It is punishable by 

 severe penalties. 



Double-bridle. A bridle with two bits, two headstalls 

 and two reins, same as the bit and bridoon. 



Double-gaited. A horse which, in motion, both trots 

 and paces is said to be double-gaited. In general this change 

 is made without apparent effort, but it is noticeable that when 

 a horse changes from a trot to a pace he squats a few inches — 

 some drivers assert from three to four inches — traveling closer 

 to the ground, the back being perfectly level. The usual 

 changes in gait are these : In starting from a walk the horse 

 ambles, or goes at a slow pace, and in passing from this to a 

 pace he usually consumes ten or a dozen steps in shuffling, 

 skipping, hopping, before the settled pace is caught. In 

 changing from a pace to a trot but two or three shuffling steps 

 are required. The formula is this : It is easy for a horse to 

 go from a trot to a pace ; difficult to go from the amble to the 

 trot, and hard to go from the pace to the trot. 



