Here is something else to consider. Even in long races, unless it is a blow out, it still doesn't tell you anything definitive (and if it is a blow out it is a bore fest). Take the Color of Money match with Efren and Earl for example. I'm going by memory here but it was a race to 120 and I believe Efren won it 120-117. But had it ended at 100 instead, Earl would have been the winner, and convincingly I might add as he was up a good amount.
So which one was the better player at that moment? Earl since he was far ahead when he hit 100 (the "standard" ultra long race number of today)? Or Efren who barely won at 120? And which format best finds the best player, a race to 100, or a race to 120? Because they would have been totally different results. Or would it be a race to 80? What about 140? It is all kind of arbitrary no matter what the race length. Just depends on who was ahead at that moment when you hit whatever arbitrary number you picked for the match length.