HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 155 



Law of Motion. The law of perfect locomotion in the 

 horse, as in all other quadrupeds, requires uniform support to 

 the center of gravity, and continuous propulsion by each 

 extremity or leg, in turn. 



Law of the Track, The rule, or law, of the road is 

 reversed on the track ; that is, horses meeting always pass on 

 the left side. Horses working on a track usually jog several 

 miles before they are called on to go fast. As all races are 

 trotted with the horses going around the track to the left, or, 

 in other words, they are started from the left of the judges' 

 stand, it has come to be called the right way of the track ; and 

 horses going the other way, or to the right, the wrong way of 

 the track. Hence, it has long been recognized that all horses 

 working at speed, in order to prevent collisions and accidents, 

 shall go the right way of the track, next to the pole, and have 

 the right of way. This causes the horses jogging to take the 

 wrong way of the track, or the outside, hence the rule of the 

 road is reversed. If horses w^ere allowed to speed both to the 

 right and left of the track, confusion and innumerable acci- 

 dents would result. 



Lay. A felt or fancy leather housing to place under a 

 saddle pad on the back of the horse. 



Lay. To stake, or wager ; to put down, or deposit a bet 

 on a contingency or future event. 



Lay Up ; Laying" Up Heats. The act of driving so 

 as not to win ; being in the field with the starters, but going 

 easily the entire heat. Laying up takes place for many rea- 

 sons. A driver may quietly lay up a heat, that he may have 

 his horse fresh for a succeeding heat ; or he may lay up the 

 first part of a heat, that he may have some speed left for the 

 stretch and finish. But it is believed that no driver can lay 

 up a heat successfully unless he has the ability to evenly rate 

 the mile. It was foi-merly a National rule that a driver could 

 lay up one heat in a race, with the consent of the judges ; but 

 such rule has been stricken from the code. In reality, it was 

 always meant that each horse should trot to win each and 

 every heat, and the only departure ever intended to be allowed 

 was, that the winning of the race being the primary object, a 

 driver could only favor his horse sufficiently to save his best 

 efforts when the pinch became necessary to secure that end. 

 Most of the great drivers object to this device. Mr. Marvin 

 says : " The laying up of heats is seldom necessary, and should 

 never be done unless one is sure it will materially better his 

 chances of winning the race, and this will not be the case as 

 often as some seem to think." Mr. Splan says : " I have 



