40 Random Bits of Trivia You Didn’t Know You Needed to Know

“Hands down” is, more than likely, a popular phrase in your vernacular. It certainly is in our vocabulary arsenal. But do you know its origin story? According to this Reddit poster, “hands down” is derived from horseracing. It refers to a jockey that’s so far ahead in the race they can relax their grip on the reins.

So, the normally tightened grip on a horse’s reins is meant to encourage the said horse to run. But, if a jockey is so ahead of the game and purported to win, they’ll put their “hands down.” Remember that the next time you utilize this phrase. Whether you’re jockeying or beating someone at Mario Kart, remember where “hands down” came from.