play the ponies

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It appears he didn’t play the ponies, cheat on his wife, Dora, or sue anyone, and when he died in 1929, his obituary was curt.

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2011

For himself, Rees purchased a $16,000 plot of land, and he met a bookie who would let him play the ponies at $2,000 a crack.

From Time Magazine Archive

I had promised her faithfully before we were married that I'd never play the ponies again and I fell and broke my word.

From Back to the Woods by McHugh, Hugh

Let a man of small means, like myself, play the ponies, or affect shady company, and what happens?

From The Desire of the Moth; and the Come On by Rhodes, Eugene Manlove

"This sexton-guy," he said anxiously, "he don't play the ponies, ever, I wouldn't suppose?"

From From a Bench in Our Square by Adams, Samuel Hopkins