http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...emy&id=5365143
Excerpt:
In November of 2008, I wrote a piece for this site about the racing industry's need for contraction.
The premise remains: Too much racing at too many places with too few fans to support it on a 50,000-races-per-year basis. Now, perhaps even more grossly in numbers, we have too few horses entering races to support the schedule as well.
Whether it wishes to or not, the thoroughbred racing game continues to undergo massive contraction. Going back only to 1989, more than 74,000 races were run in America, according to Equibase and the Jockey Club Fact Book. Last year, that number slipped to 49,000.
That's roughly a one-third drop in the number of races in 20 years.
Excerpt:
No matter which definition first comes to mind for you when you hear the word "contraction," chances are there will be some pain involved. But when the pain subsides, you've given birth to something that you can embrace for years to come.
