Chrysti the Wordsmith > Radio Scripts

Mike Duffy, TV critic for the Detroit Free Press wrote a review of the Warner Brothers television series "Jack and Bobby," the story of two young small-town brothers and their history-professor mom. In his September 2004 review, Duffy called the series witty, fun and honestly emotional; "Jack and Bobby," he wrote, "wins hands down" in the fall television contest.

Hands down. We find this expression anywhere there's a competition to be won and lost, in sports, chess matches or spelling bees. The hands down winner prevails with seemingly little effort, and usually by a significant margin.

This expression may logically suggest perhaps a card-playing origin. In reality, though, the sport that inspired this cliche is much more animated than cards: it's horse racing.

To win hands down is an allusion to the custom of jockeys to relax their grip on the reins when victory is certain. The winning horse gallops easily to the finish line with its jockey relaxed and riding with his "hands down." This term began appearing in print around the turn of the twentieth century.

Radio Script > Win Hands Down