THE INSIDE TRACK
HAVE you ever heard the expression "he has the inside track"? It has an incredibly ancient history, as much as six thousand years old. The planet Mercury was supposed by the ancients to run on a circle nearest the sun. Thus, the inside circle. When this applied to racing, in the days of the Phoenicians, having the inside track was called "Inqua" from which we get our present-day "equestrian." The "inqua" metal is engraved with an outer and inner circle with a star in the center, representing the place of the sun. This medal is used today on the brow-band of a horse bridle.
Raymond Palmer, Search magazine, June 1957
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