"What could occur? Pari-mutuel handle would grow to about $15.5 billion a year in 10 years; purses would increase to about $1.7 billion a year; the number of races would drop from 56,000 in 2010 to 31,000; race days would go from 6,600 a year now to 3,100; the number of racetracks would drop from 55 to 26; average handle per race would rise from $230,000 to $495,000; the average purse per race would increase to $55,000 from $22,000; the number of starters would drop from 74,000 to 56,000; and field size would grow from 8.2 horses per race to 12."

"Evans said that racing’s customers still respond to quality, and that if the downsized industry keeps more of the quality product and reduces the poor end that the industry should thrive. To illustrate that point, Evans noted that handle on the top 25 races actually increased 18% in 2009 versus 2003, even as total handle during that period declined 19%."