Shoo In

The racetrack term shoo-in, meaning “certain winner,” is rooted in a fraudulent practice of corrupt jockeys: They agree to bet on one long shot, holding back their own mounts, and chase in or shoo in the horse they picked to win. ❋ William Safire (2003)

If CBS decides to expand to four comedies on Thursday, it's a shoo-in to return. ❋ Unknown (2012)

(I actually choose Arizona-3 for a reason, because a poll just came out showing Republican Ben Quayle, thought a shoo-in, trailing his Democratic opponent, in a district that has been GOP for a quarter-century or more). ❋ Michael Tomasky (2010)

If Mr. Hancock succeeds, he could be a shoo-in to become AIG's next chief executive when CEO Robert Benmosche retires, likely in 2012 or 2013, according to people familiar with AIG's management succession plan. ❋ Serena Ng (2011)

RAZ: Now, here's the thing: The Republican National Committee considered Peter DeFazio's re-election such a shoo-in, it decided not to waste any money fighting him. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The former congressman is a shoo-in for Senate approval, but Washington insiders expect the hearing may offer new clues about plans to rein in federal spending. ❋ Nathan Hodge (2011)

By contrast, its semifinal opponent Manchester United has topped the English Premier League standings for months and looks a shoo-in for a record 19th championship. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Still, Mr. Bini Smaghi isn't a shoo-in for the Italian central bank's top post, which has traditionally been filled from within the institution. ❋ Christopher Emsden (2011)

When literary agent Sarah Yake shopped aroun d Kirsten Kaschock's debut novel "Sleight" this year, she thought it would be a shoo-in with New York's top publishers. ❋ Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg (2010)

If there were a "most improved" style award, Amaro would be the shoo-in. ❋ Unknown (2011)

"I reckon Stephen Rice above is a shoo-in to join the bald community very soon, whereas Tom Carroll has made the schoolboy error of going for a Bobby Charltonesque combover years before he needs it," says Gary Naylor. ❋ Unknown (2011)

First this week the movie failed to win a nomination for an Academy Award in the documentary feature category, even though it was considered to be a shoo-in. ❋ Valerie Strauss (2011)

If the Emmys were based on the entire year's worth of work, the emotionally devastating Duell would be a shoo-in. ❋ Unknown (2011)

And let's face is — she's also a shoo-in to be in the finals. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Of course, this makes David Vitter a shoo-in with all that money flooding in from Pampers and Huggies. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Had Van der Vaart been given the ball, he was surely a shoo-in to score. ❋ Scott Murray (2010)

Daldry – already bedazzled unto blindness by glib, overrated books like Michael Cunningham's The Hours and Bernhard Schlink's schlocky bestseller The Reader – was a shoo-in to be suckered by Jonathan Safran Foer's novel. ❋ Unknown (2012)