Turn the calendar back to 1957 and the typical Thoroughbred averaged 40 lifetime racing starts. Yet the average number of Thoroughbred racing starts has dropped to fewer than 14 today, says Bobby Trussell, co-owner of Walmac Farm near Lexington, Ky. Sharing his thoughts recently with readers of The Blood-Horse, Trussell doesn’t buy the conventional wisdom that the number of reduced racing starts is due to the breed becoming more fragile, a change in track surfaces or growing concerns about soundness issues.