| HOMESTRETCH | Final straight part of a racetrack (and a hint to the long entries) |
| GOTOTHEDOGS | Visit racetrack and get ruined |
| EVANGELINE | -- Downs, Racetrack and Casino, venue in Louisiana (10) |
| LAP | A single turn of rope or thread around a drum, reel or other coiled object; a circuit of a racetrack; the forepart of a skirt and/or the body, from waist to knees; thin liquid food for a dog; an earlo |
| ABS | Target of the puzzle's title, and part of each of the long entries |
| BEATOUT | Best act the part of a racetrack tipster (4,3) |
| LANE | Part of a racetrack or a highway |
| NPR | "All Things Considered" airer; the first syllables of the long entries provide a clue |
| RAIL | Inner part of a racetrack |
| CHESSPIECE | Man on a board: there's one in each of the long entries |
| ABUG | Snug as ___ . . . : there's one hidden in each of the long entries |
| TEBOW | QB whose name is added phonetically to the middle of the three long entries |
| NEAT | Straight part of routine a triumph (4) |
| NARROWGAPS | Small spaces between areas, or what's represented in the long entries |
| INSIDEJOBS | Some heists... and the six "positions" in this grid, relative to the long answers |
| THEYRE | 'And ___ off!' (start of a racetrack announcer's call) |
| SHAFT | Straight part of an arrow |
| LINEAR | Straight part of tunnel in earth (6) |
| EPEE | In fencing, what name is given to the long, narrow sword with a blunted point? (4) |
| SEA | Word in the center of all three long entries |
