Equibase vs. DRF: # of starters in year

[FenceBored]

Anybody have any idea what the difference is in the figures Equibase and DRF give as the total number of starters in the year?

Year_ _DRF__ - Equibase

2000: 69,250 - 70,839
2001: 70,933 - 72,494
2002: 72,500 - 73,925
2003: 73,593 - 75,040
2004: 73,889 - 75,335
2005: 72,457 - 73,980
2006: 72,422 - 73,962
2007: 72,651 - 74,234
2008: 72,310 - 73,843
2009: 71,337 - 72,937
2010: 67,933 - 69,385


I'm doing some research and using the DRF figures from the early part of the 20th Century, but in the 21st, where Equibase has the figures easily seen online I was using them. However, a 1,400 horses difference is a little tough to ignore. I'll change to using the DRF figures for consistency, but I'm still curious.

[cj]

Anybody have any idea what the difference is in the figures Equibase and DRF give as the total number of starters in the year?

Year_ _DRF__ - Equibase

2000: 69,250 - 70,839
2001: 70,933 - 72,494
2002: 72,500 - 73,925
2003: 73,593 - 75,040
2004: 73,889 - 75,335
2005: 72,457 - 73,980
2006: 72,422 - 73,962
2007: 72,651 - 74,234
2008: 72,310 - 73,843
2009: 71,337 - 72,937
2010: 67,933 - 69,385


I'm doing some research and using the DRF figures from the early part of the 20th Century, but in the 21st, where Equibase has the figures easily seen online I was using them. However, a 1,400 horses difference is a little tough to ignore. I'll change to using the DRF figures for consistency, but I'm still curious.

Could be a lot of things. Maybe DRF doesn't count horses from mixed breed races?

[macguy]

Could be a lot of things. Maybe DRF doesn't count horses from mixed breed races?


Probably has something to do with that, I know when a thoroughbred starts in a QH race it doesn't show as a start in the thoroughbreds record with DRF.

[Tom]

Gulfstream counted them for one of the two.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Are these numbers for the individual horses with 1 or more stsarts this year?

If so, I'm thinking more than 2,000 QH's started, so probably not QHs. Wonder if it number of Arabians. Or perhaps one track like Camareo in Puerto Rico counts in one service but not the other (I've see entries on Equibase and suspect reults are available, but haven't seen entries, pps nor results for Camarero on DRF. Camarero is the former El Comadante.)

[nearco]

To make things more intriguing, this is what the Jockey Club lists as number of starters for US and Canada. What's esp intriguing is that the JC owns Equibase, yet the numbers are different.

2000: 69569
2001: 71278
2002: 72825
2003: 73918
2004: 74206
2005: 72780
2006: 72729
2007: 72966
2008: 72638
2009: 71662
2010: 68235

[nearco]

this what the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities lists for US and Canada.


Year .- Can-flat .- USA-flat .- USA-jump .- both jump/flat .- Total
2010 .- 7588 .- 62459 .- 419 .- 117 .- 70466
2009 .- NA .- 65520 .- 445 .- 139 .- 65965
2008 .- 4950?? .- 66501 .- 437 .- 123 .- 71888??
2007 .- 7482 .- 66691 .- 437 .- 133 .- 74610
2006 .- 7913 .- 66118 .- 453 .- 162 .- 74484