266 HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 



Tin Cup ; Tin-Cupper ; Tin Cup Record. A term 

 of derision; a record against time as distinguished from one 

 made in a race ; a horse having a record gained at a private 

 trial against the watch. About 1885 trials of young horses 

 against time, or for some private prize, usually a silver cup or 

 piece of plate, became very popular. Sueh horses were being 

 put into the 2:30 by the hundred, starting for no real con- 

 sideration, and with little or no guaranty that such time had 

 been made by them as was claimed. The matter became an 

 abuse, and was the occasion of so much wrong that great 

 reproach came to be attached to such records. The American 

 Sportsman said: "A horse with a tin cup record cuts no 

 figure and is a drug on the market ; and the men who turn out 

 any more of them require a guardian." Wallace's ]\fonthly 

 said : " If regulations cannot be devised that will secure some 

 slight test of a colt's racing qualities in winning his record, 

 then we are in favor of wiping out tin cup records, standard 

 stakes records, private matches and all that, and of putting 

 every youngster on an equality." After long discussion the 

 matter was taken in hand by the American, and later by the 

 National Trotting Association, whereby judicious regulations 

 were adopted governing all time performances, which are now 

 in force by all societies and tracks in membership with either 

 association, and which are recognized by the American Trot- 

 ting Register Association. See Against Time, and Time 

 Performances. 



Time performance according to rule is just as potent as one made in a 

 race— both are measures of speed, properly designated. Tlie rules 

 now in force by the national associations throw around time per- 

 formances the i^roper restriction desired by all prominent breeders. 

 —Turf, Field and Farm. 



Tip. Private information or advice on the chances of a 

 horse winning. " A straight tip " is information which comes 

 direct from an owner or trainer, and which is supposed to be 

 trustworthy. 



No matter what paper or tout proclaims, 

 Take only the tip from Truthful James; 

 He is up to all the dodges and games, 

 And money's not wasted by Truthful James. 



—The Sporting Times. 



Tip. A racing tip for the front of a horse's foot ; a half- 

 shoe ; a plate extending aroimd the toe from quarter to quarter. 

 Youatt, the English authority, in his work on the horse 

 published in 1831 said: "Tips are short shoes, reaching only 

 half round the foot, and worn while the horse is at grass, in 

 order to prevent the crust being torn by the occasional hard- 

 ness of the ground, or the pawing of the animal." As re-in- 

 vented by Mr. Joseph Cairn Simpson of California, the tip was 



