# Horse tracks called "Downs"... why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horse-tracks-called-downs-why/20889 "2000-05-30T15:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ozone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e95f7d/32.png) [@Ozone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ozone)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horse-tracks-called-downs-why/20889/1 "2000-05-30T15:22:16Z")
I’m just wondering, why are so many (if not all) race tracks for horses called something-or-other “Downs”??? A friend told me it was because that’s where you go to put your bet “down” on a horse, anyone know for sure? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horse-tracks-called-downs-why/20889/2 "2000-05-30T16:30:27Z")
Don’t know if this helps but for what it’s worth: **Merriam-Webster** _Etymology: Middle English doun hill, from Old English dun Date: 14th century 1 : an undulating usually treeless upland with sparse soil – usually used in plural_ Maybe they raced a lot in these places way back when and the name stuck. I dunno…looks good to me. ---
**Author:** ![BigJoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9bd4f/32.png) [@BigJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horse-tracks-called-downs-why/20889/3 "2000-05-30T19:03:01Z")
In reference to Jeff\_42’s post, my WAG is that this type of land isn’t suitable for farming and so was used as pasture land for livestock (such as horses). What better place to race a horse than where it is at already?