Why are Thoroughbred racehorse winnings not expressed in current dollars?

Question

Man 0' War's winnings of about $200,000 in the very early 1900s are compared to present day winners which is d**n stupid.

Answer 1

you have to compare the race record/and the stiff

competition..instead of money.

looked at the great "forego" he would carry 136lbs

and still win.....our chumps today, i mean our champs

today carry more weight in the triple crown 126lbs

than they ever will again.....

Answer 2

Because it's not necessarily inflation that counts: for various reasons, especially functionality, the values would have to be adjusted if they were run today, so the values might not be comparable. Also, as the popularity of racing fluctuates, and the relative amount of money that can be made from stud changes, the amount of money that can be made in a single race also changes.