"Win in a walk" (1867)

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(OED)
 e. to win in a walk: to win easily and without effort.  U.S. colloq.  
1896  _ADE_ (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-a.html#ade)  Artie xii. 
106 ‘Does he stand a  good chance of being elected?’ ‘That's what keeps me 
guessin'. Two years ago he  win in a walk [etc.].’ 1903  _A. H.  LEWIS_ 
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-l.html#a-h-lewis)  Boss 138 He won in a walk. 
1936  _E. S. GARDNER_ 
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-g.html#e-s-gardner)  Case of Sleepwalker's Niece xiv. 130 The whole thing..gets back to 
Duncan. If I can break down  Duncan's identification I can win the case in a walk.
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2 June 1867, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. 5:
At the recent meeting at Jerome Park she started and won twice; in  the first 
race for three-year olds of three quarters of a mile, carrying 112  pounds, 
including 5 pounds extra, she fairly galloped away from her opponents,  and 
"won in a walk."
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4 August 1870, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. 8:
In both heats, <i>Helmbold</i> made the semblance of a  race with him, but 
racing men well knew that the gallant chesnut was running  under a hard pull, 
and could easily, if ROBINSON had given him his head, have  come away by 
himself, and "won in a walk."
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